India beat Pakistan by 19 runs to win the Asian Games men’s cricket gold on October 3. The final was played at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. India defended the title they won in Hangzhou.

India posted 211 for 6, the highest total of the Games. Abhishek Sharma smashed 61 off 28 balls with seven sixes. His 20-ball fifty was the fastest by an Indian against Pakistan in T20Is. Tilak Varma hit an unbeaten 51 off 22 balls. The pair took India past 200 after a mid-innings slowdown.

Pakistan finished on 192 for 6. Hasan Nawaz fought with an unbeaten 96 off 51 balls. He fell to the last ball of the match. Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube took two wickets each.

India completed a golden double in Asian Games cricket. The women won gold on September 22 after beating Sri Lanka. Head coach VVS Laxman called the title defence special. The win also sealed India’s direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics in hockey, where the men beat Malaysia 5-1 for gold the same day.