India and Pakistan will meet once more in a continental final, this time for the gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games.
India secured their place in the title decider with a commanding 124-run win over Sri Lanka in the second semifinal. Ishan Kishan anchored the innings with an unbeaten 80 off 46 balls, which helped India post 169/7, and the bowlers then dismissed Sri Lanka for only 45 to complete a one-sided victory.
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Meanwhile, Pakistan reached the final by chasing down a target of 111 against Bangladesh in just 11.3 overs, in a semifinal that was shortened by rain.
Their squad is considerably different from the regular senior T20I group, yet it has still managed to progress to the gold medal match.
India will be defending their title, while Pakistan are appearing in a men’s Asian Games cricket final for the first time, and that contrast adds further interest to the contest. With such a long history of finals between the two sides behind them, supporters can expect a closely watched match on Saturday.
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After 16 overs, India are 142/5
Just as India aimed to accelerate, Arafat Minhas struck again by cleaning up Ishan Kishan for 20 (18b). In the very next over, Abrar Ahmed removed Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer for 21 (24b), caught by Sahibzada Farhan, reducing India from 128/3 to 133/5. Pakistan’s slow-bowling battery seized control through the middle phase, with Abrar Ahmed finishing his quota with tidy figures of 1/29 and Saim Ayub conceding just 24 runs in his three overs.
After 11 overs, India are 120/3
Abhishek Sharma’s electric innings was brought to an end on 61 off 28 deliveries (3 fours, 7 sixes) when Arafat Minhas had him expertly stumped by wicketkeeper Usman Khan with the team score at 93. Entering at No. 5, Ishan Kishan settled in quickly, cracking three crisp boundaries to move to 17 off 11 balls.
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After six overs, India are 81/2
India blitzed their way to a commanding 81/2 in the first six overs, reaching their team fifty in just 3.2 overs (21 balls). Abhishek launched a brutal counter-assault, smashing 6 towering sixes and 3 boundaries to raise his fifty off just 20 deliveries. Pakistan managed two key breakthroughs inside the powerplay: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi fell for 15 (c Usman Khan b Saim Ayub), and Sanju Samson perished cheaply for 2, holing out off Ahmed Daniyal.
Toss: India have won the toss and have opted to bat
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India (Playing XI): Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah
Pakistan (Playing XI): Sahibzada Farhan (capt), Maaz Sadaqat, Usman Khan (wk), Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz, Abdul Samad, Arafat Minhas, Ahmed Daniyal, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Moqim
|
Team |
Win percentage |
|
India |
70% |
|
Pakistan |
30% |
India are the favourites to win the Asian Games 2026 cricket semi-final match at 1.19 on Dafa, with Sri Lanka as the underdogs at 4.60.
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* Odds are correct at the time of publication but subject to change.
|
Team |
Odds |
|
India |
1.19 |
|
Sri Lanka |
4.60 |
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