India vs Pakistan Live Score: India Win Toss, Opt To Bat In Asian Games Final
India choose to bat after winning toss against Pakistan.
India won the toss and elected to bat first against Pakistan in the men’s cricket gold-medal match at the 2026 Asian Games on Saturday. Captain Shreyas Iyer opted to set a target at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, as India look to defend the gold medal they won at the previous edition. The final is the first India-Pakistan men’s cricket match in Asian Games history.
India have retained their playing XI from the semi-final against Sri Lanka, with Iyer leading a side featuring several established T20 players. India reached the final after defeating Sri Lanka by 124 runs, scoring 169/7 before bowling their opponents out for 45 in 9.5 overs. Ishan Kishan scored an unbeaten 80 off 46 balls, while 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made 38 on his debut.
Pakistan also entered the final unbeaten after progressing through a rain-affected campaign. Their quarter-final against Hong Kong was abandoned, while they defeated Bangladesh by six wickets in a semi-final reduced to 13 overs per side. Pakistan chased down Bangladesh’s 112-run target in 11.3 overs, setting up the gold-medal meeting with India.
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The match has also attracted attention because of the absence of handshakes between the two teams in recent encounters. Reports ahead of the final noted that the players did not exchange the customary handshake before the match, continuing a pattern that has drawn attention during recent India-Pakistan sporting meetings. The issue has been particularly visible in cricket, although players from the two countries have exchanged greetings in other sports during the Asian Games.
The final carries added significance for India as the team attempts to retain its Asian Games title. India won the men’s cricket gold medal at the 2023 Hangzhou Games after the final against Afghanistan was washed out, with India awarded the gold medal based on its higher ranking. Pakistan, meanwhile, have advanced to their first Asian Games men’s cricket final, making Saturday’s match a first-time gold-medal contest between the two teams.
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