India face Pakistan in Asian Games gold clash today
India and Pakistan meet in the men's T20 cricket final at the Asian Games on Saturday, October 3 — the first India-Pakistan men's cricket clash at the Games — with gold at stake at Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin, from 10:00 AM IST. Defending champions India are chasing a title defence; Pakistan want their first men's cricket gold at the Games.
India reached the final with a 124-run demolition of Sri Lanka in Thursday's semifinal, posting 169 for seven on the back of Ishan Kishan's unbeaten 80 off 46 balls and 38 off 21 from teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The bowlers then skittled Sri Lanka for 45 in 9.5 overs, with Jasprit Bumrah striking twice in the opening over and Abhishek Sharma claiming two wickets in five deliveries.
Pakistan booked the other berth by beating Bangladesh by six wickets in a rain-shortened semifinal reduced to 13 overs a side. Bangladesh made 111 for seven, Towhid Hridoy top-scoring with 42, before Pakistan chased it down in 11.3 overs with Abdul Samad unbeaten on 30 off 15 and spinner Sufyan Moqim taking three for 26.
Rain remains a threat: there is no reserve day for the final, and the organisers have said a washout means India and Pakistan share the gold medal — unlike Hangzhou 2022, where India were awarded gold after the final against Afghanistan was abandoned. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh contest the bronze-medal match on October 3.
