India secured a spot in the Asian Games men’s T20 cricket final by dominating a second-string Sri Lankan team, winning the semifinal by 124 runs. This victory sets up a historic gold-medal decider against rivals Pakistan, marking the first time the two nations have faced each other at the Games.
Playing at Korogi Athletic Park, Shreyas Iyer’s squad posted a total of 170 before dismantling the Sri Lankan batting order for just 45 runs in 9.5 overs. Jasprit Bumrah led the bowling attack with 2-7, quickly trapping Sineth Jayawardena lbw and dismissing Sohan de Livera behind the stumps in the opening over. Abhishek Sharma added to the pressure with 2-2, while a series of run-outs, including the dismissal of top scorer Nuwanidu Fernando for 15, hastened the collapse. Trapping Sineth Jayawardena lbw for a duck and having number three Sohan de Livera caught behind for nought, pace supremo Jasprit Bumrah (2-7) set the tone with two wickets in the first five balls. With number four Nuwanidu Fernando, the second innings’ top scorer, out for 15, two more run-outs followed as Sri Lanka collapsed on a warm and sunny afternoon. Left-arm spinner Abhishek Sharma finished with 2-2 from five balls.
Ishan Kishan provided stability for India with an unbeaten 80 off 46 balls, supported by opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 38. The team enters the final aiming for back-to-back gold medals, having won the title in Hangzhou three years ago when the final against Afghanistan was decided by ranking rules after rain washed out play.
Pakistan earned their place in the final with a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a match shortened to 13 overs due to a wet outfield. Towhid Hridoy top-scored with 42 for Bangladesh, helping them post 112, but Pakistan’s Sufyan Moqim took 3-26 to limit the damage. Middle-order batter Abdul Samad then struck an unbeaten 30 off 15 balls to clinch the win.
Tensions between the two cricketing boards have frequently spilled over onto the pitch, with both sides avoiding handshakes in recent encounters. Former Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav famously refused to shake hands with Pakistani players during an Asia Cup clash last September, also declining to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi, who serves as Pakistan’s interior minister.
This trend of avoiding handshakes and trophy ceremonies involving Naqvi has continued across multiple tournaments, including the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup in Sri Lanka, the Women’s T20 World Cup in England, and the recent Women’s Asia Cup in Dubai. Given the backdrop of these incidents, the upcoming men’s final is drawing significant attention regarding whether the customary post-match formalities will be observed.
The current tournament field was determined by international rankings after several quarterfinal matches were abandoned due to adverse weather. Earlier in the event, the Indian women’s team successfully defended their title against Sri Lanka, while Pakistan’s women’s side secured the bronze medal by defeating Bangladesh.
