India vs Pakistan Live Score: Asian Games 2026 Final Pits Defending Champions Against Arch-Rivals

India and Pakistan will face each other in the men's cricket gold-medal match at the Asian Games 2026 on Saturday, October 3, in what will be one of the most anticipated clashes of the competition. The final will be played in the T20 format at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, with India entering the contest as the defending Asian Games champions. India won the men's cricket gold medal at the 2023 Hangzhou edition after their final against Afghanistan was abandoned due to rain.

India reached the final after a commanding 124-run victory over Sri Lanka in the semifinal. Batting first, India posted 169 runs before bowling Sri Lanka out for 45 in just 9.5 overs. Ishan Kishan led the batting effort with an unbeaten 80 off 46 balls, while 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi contributed 38 runs. Jasprit Bumrah and Abhishek Sharma were among India's key performers with the ball as the team secured its place in the gold-medal match.

Pakistan booked their place in the final with a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a rain-shortened semifinal. The match was reduced to 13 overs, with Pakistan chasing Bangladesh's target of 112. Abdul Samad remained unbeaten on 30 from 15 balls, while Sufyan Moqim played a major role with the ball, taking three wickets for 26 runs. Both India and Pakistan had earlier advanced from their quarterfinals after rain forced those matches to be abandoned.

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The final also marks another meeting between two of the region's most closely followed cricket rivals. India have brought a strong squad to the Asian Games, led by captain Shreyas Iyer and featuring players including Bumrah, Axar Patel, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan and Sooryavanshi. Pakistan are led by Sahibzada Farhan, with players such as Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Abdul Samad and Sufyan Moqim forming part of their squad for the tournament.

The match is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. IST, with the toss set for 9:30 a.m. in India. The encounter carries added significance because it is the first Asian Games men's cricket final between India and Pakistan, with the gold medal at stake. The tournament organisers have also confirmed that there is no reserve day for the final; if the match is completely washed out, both finalists will be awarded gold medals.

The contest comes after a rain-affected cricket tournament in Aichi-Nagoya, with several knockout matches disrupted by weather. India will be seeking to retain the title they won at Hangzhou, while Pakistan will be attempting to secure their first Asian Games cricket gold medal. With both teams having reached the final through contrasting semifinal victories, the Nisshin clash will decide the men's cricket gold medal at the 2026 Games.

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