India vs Pakistan set for Asian Games men’s cricket gold final after contrasting semifinals

India and Pakistan will meet for the men’s cricket gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games after two very different semi-final wins on Thursday. India overwhelmed Sri Lanka by 124 runs, while Pakistan survived an early collapse before beating Bangladesh by six wickets in a rain-shortened contest.

The final is scheduled for Saturday, 3 October, at 10:00 am IST (4:30 UTC; 1:30 pm JST) at Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin. The ICC match centre lists Pakistan v India as an upcoming men’s T20 final, and the Olympics tournament scoreboard also shows the gold-medal pairing. No result, toss or playing XI has been confirmed at the time of writing.

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India’s 124-run semi-final win was built around Ishan Kishan’s control

India posted 169/7 from 20 overs against Sri Lanka, then dismissed their opponents for 45 in 9.5 overs.

Ishan Kishan’s unbeaten 80 from 46 balls supplied the defining batting contribution. He stayed at the crease through the innings and gave India a stable base while the scoring rate was lifted around him. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added 38 from 21 balls, helping India finish with a total that put pressure on Sri Lanka from the start of the chase. The ICC scorecard records the result and bowling figures, while Rediff’s semifinal report gives both batting contributions.

India’s defence combined pace, spin and fielding. Jasprit Bumrah took 2/7, Axar Patel 2/8, and Abhishek Sharma 2/2. Three run-outs completed the pressure; Sri Lanka’s ten wickets did not all come from bowlers.

For captain Shreyas Iyer, India enters the gold match after a full 20-over semi-final; its quarter-final against Afghanistan was abandoned because of rain, with India advancing as the higher-seeded team. That was progression, not a win.

Pakistan’s turning point came after 53 for four

Pakistan’s route was more compressed and more volatile. Bangladesh made 111/7 from 13 overs in the first semi-final, which was reduced to 13 overs per side. Pakistan then reached 112/4 in 11.3 overs to win by six wickets.

The chase appeared in danger at 53/4. Pakistan captain Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed for one, and Maaz Sadaqat, Saim Ayub and Usman Khan also fell during the early phase. The match changed when Abdul Samad and Hasan Nawaz put together an unbeaten fifth-wicket stand worth 59 runs.

Samad finished 30 not out from 15 balls, while Hasan made 27 not out from 22. The Pakistan Cricket Board’s match report records Samad’s decisive 10th-over attack. The recovery turned a dangerous chase into a controlled finish.

Pakistan’s bowlers had earlier kept Bangladesh’s total within reach. Sufyan Moqim took 3/26 and Arafat Minhas 2/23. Bangladesh’s Towhid Hridoy led the scoring with 42 from 25 balls, but Pakistan’s attack restricted the rest of the innings enough to leave a target of 112 in a shortened match.

The ICC semi-final listing confirms the score and six-wicket result. For the earlier recap, see 4xSports’ Pakistan-Bangladesh semi-final report.

Two semifinal stories, one unpredictable final

India’s semi-final was decided by a large first-innings total and a varied defensive effort. Pakistan’s was decided by recovery after four wickets fell. Those are descriptions of the latest matches, not guarantees about Saturday.

India will want its top-order stability and varied bowling to carry forward. Pakistan will want to avoid the same early pressure while preserving the finishing ability shown by Samad and Hasan. The evidence does not justify a win percentage or prediction.

There is no confirmed playing XI. India’s current 14-player squad is led by Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma as vice-captain. Pakistan’s updated 15-player squad is led by Sahibzada Farhan, with Abdul Samad as vice-captain. India’s changes include Yash Thakur replacing Harshit Rana and Vipraj Nigam replacing Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was withdrawn for ODI duty; Varun Chakaravarthy is unavailable with a side strain. Pakistan includes Mohammad Wasim Jnr after Salman Mirza’s injury. The BCCI notice, ICC India update, PCB announcement and ICC final squad are the current references.

Rain has already shaped the knockout bracket

Rain abandoned both India’s quarter-final against Afghanistan and Pakistan’s quarter-final against Hong Kong China. The seeded teams advanced, but neither result should be described as a victory. The Olympics results page lists those abandoned matches and the subsequent semi-finals.

The final’s washout provision is different from the outcome at the 2023 Asian Games. The Indian Express reported that the organising committee told the newspaper there is no reserve day for the 2026 men’s final and that, if the final is cancelled, both finalists would receive gold medals. That is an organizer statement reported by the newspaper, not an official regulations PDF cited here. It should also not be presented as a prediction that weather will cancel the match. Conditions and any official decision must be checked on match day.

How to watch India vs Pakistan

In India, the final is expected on the Sony Sports Network, with streaming on SonyLIV. SonyLIV’s official upcoming Pakistan v India Asian Games listing identifies the event as part of the 20th Asian Games; Sporting News India confirms the TV network. Viewers should check the current Sony Sports schedule, SonyLIV listing and any subscription or regional restrictions before start time; this is not a promise of free access.

For a broader schedule and viewing reference, see the 4xSports Asian Games 2026 cricket schedule and streaming guide. The same day also includes a different-format India-West Indies third ODI; 4xSports’ ODI match guide separates the fixtures.

Final details at a glance

A final worth following without premature certainty

The India-Pakistan meeting is confirmed because both teams won their semi-finals on 1 October. The meaning of those wins is more nuanced: India demonstrated control across a full T20, while Pakistan demonstrated recovery under immediate pressure. Saturday’s gold medal will be decided by the match itself, not by a prediction built from one highlight or one scoreline.

Before the first ball, open the ICC final match centre for the confirmed XI, toss and live score. Then use the official SonyLIV listing to check viewing access.

Time-sensitive update note

This article was prepared after the 1 October semi-finals and before the 3 October final. It will require an update after the toss and again after the match. The final result, playing XIs, weather decision, scorecard and medal outcome are intentionally not stated in advance.