NISSHIN, Japan: India beat Pakistan by 19 runs in the Asian Games men’s cricket final on Saturday, securing the gold medal after setting a challenging 212-run target and restricting Pakistan’s chase at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.
India, who won the toss and elected to bat, posted a strong total before their bowlers kept Pakistan from completing the chase in the high-stakes final. The match marked the first-ever meeting between India and Pakistan in men’s cricket at the Asian Games.
Pakistan made one change to its lineup, bringing all-rounder Saad Masood in for fast bowler Mohammad Wasim Jr. Sahibzada Farhan captained the side, with Usman Khan serving as wicketkeeper.
India fielded a strong lineup led by captain Shreyas Iyer and featuring Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
The final added another chapter to the rivalry between the two teams, who had never previously faced each other in men’s cricket at the Asian Games.
Before Saturday’s final, India had won 13 of the teams’ 17 T20 internationals, while Pakistan had won three and one match had ended in a tie. India had also won the previous five T20I meetings between the sides.
Pakistan entered the gold-medal match looking to end that run and claim the top prize, but India held its nerve in the chase to finish the tournament as Asian Games champions.
Pakistan XI: Sahibzada Farhan (c), Maaz Sadaqat, Saim Ayub, Usman Khan (wk), Hasan Nawaz, Abdul Samad, Arafat Minhas, Ahmed Daniyal, Saad Masood, Sufyan Moqim and Abrar Ahmed.
India XI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi and Jasprit Bumrah.
