India to face Pakistan in Asian Games men’s cricket final

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan will meet in the India Pakistan Asian Games cricket final on Saturday, October 3, 2026, with the men’s T20 gold medal on the line at the Asian Games in Japan. Defending champions India stormed into the final with a crushing 124-run semifinal win over Sri Lanka, while Pakistan earlier booked their place by beating Bangladesh by six wickets in a rain-reduced semifinal.

Key facts

How India reached the India Pakistan Asian Games cricket final

India produced the most dominant performance of the tournament in Thursday’s second semifinal, dismantling Sri Lanka by 124 runs. Asked to bat first, India posted 169/7, powered by Ishan Kishan’s superb unbeaten 80 off 46 balls, featuring four fours and five sixes, and a brisk 38 off 21 balls from young opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

India’s bowlers were even more ruthless. Sri Lanka’s chase never got going and collapsed to just 45 all out in 9.5 overs. Jasprit Bumrah (2/7) struck early, Axar Patel (2/8) and Abhishek Sharma (2/2) tightened the screws, and Washington Sundar chipped in with a wicket. Nuwanidu Fernando’s 15 was the only double-figure score for Sri Lanka, and five of their batters were dismissed without scoring.

How Pakistan reached the final

Pakistan sealed their place in the gold-medal match earlier on Thursday with a composed six-wicket win over Bangladesh in a semifinal reduced to 13 overs per side after a rain delay. Bangladesh managed 111/7, and Pakistan chased the target of 112 in 11.3 overs after recovering from 53/4, with Abdul Samad’s unbeaten 30 off 15 balls and Hasan Nawaz’s 27 not out guiding them home.

The victory keeps Pakistan in the hunt for their first-ever men’s cricket gold medal at the Asian Games. Their women’s team has won Asian Games gold before, but the men’s side has never stood on top of the podium. Pakistan were placed in the opposite half of the draw from India specifically so that this dream final could happen if both sides progressed.

Semifinal results at a glance

Team squads for the final

India

Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Vipraj Nigam.

Pakistan

Sahibzada Farhan (c), Saim Ayub, Usman Khan (wk), Hasan Nawaz, Haider Ali, Abdul Samad, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Abrar Ahmed, Sufyan Moqim, Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Arafat Minhas, Saad Masood, Maaz Sadaqat, Ali Raza.

What is at stake in the final

India arrive as defending champions, having won the gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, and will be brimming with confidence after their semifinal demolition of Sri Lanka. For Pakistan, Saturday is a shot at history — a first men’s Asian Games cricket gold, against the fiercest rivals, in what will be the first-ever India-Pakistan final at the Asian Games.

Rain could still have the final word: six matches were abandoned to bad weather earlier in the tournament, and under the 2026 rules there is no reserve day — a washed-out final would see the gold medal shared between the two teams. In India, the match will be broadcast on the Sony Sports Network and streamed live on SonyLIV. The clash also carries extra weight as cricket continues its push toward a place at the LA 2028 Olympics. Read the full preview on Watan News’ main site, and see broadcast details via the Sporting News.

Conclusion

Saturday’s final is the matchup the Asian Games 2026 cricket tournament was designed to produce: defending champions India against a resurgent Pakistan, with the gold medal and continental bragging rights at stake. If the weather holds at Korogi Sports Park, it promises to be one of the great India-Pakistan occasions.

Frequently asked questions

When is the India vs Pakistan Asian Games cricket final?

The men’s cricket gold medal match is on Saturday, October 3, 2026, starting at 1:30 PM Japan time — 10:00 AM IST, 9:30 AM PKT, and 6:30 AM CEST.

Where will the final be played?

At the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan, the same venue that hosted both semifinals.

Where can I watch the final?

In India, the match will be shown on the Sony Sports Network and streamed live on the SonyLIV app and website.

What happens if rain washes out the final?

Under the Asian Games 2026 rules there is no reserve day for the gold medal match — if it cannot be completed, the gold medal will be shared by India and Pakistan.

Why is this final historic?

It is the first-ever India-Pakistan final at the Asian Games. India are defending the gold they won in 2022, while Pakistan are chasing their first men’s cricket gold in Games history.