India and Pakistan will meet in the Asian Games cricket final on Saturday, with the men’s gold medal at stake in a Twenty20 match at Korogi Athletic Park in Nisshin, Japan.
The India vs Pakistan Asian Games cricket final is scheduled to begin at 1.30pm local time, or 4.30am GMT. India are defending the title they won at Hangzhou 2023, while Pakistan are seeking their first gold medal in the event.
India’s women have already secured gold in Aichi-Nagoya after beating Sri Lanka in the final, leaving the men’s team with the opportunity to complete a cricket double for the country.
India and Pakistan’s route to the final
Both teams were among the four seeded sides and entered the competition at the quarter-final stage. India’s match against Afghanistan was abandoned because of rain, but they progressed to the semi-finals on the basis of their higher seeding, determined by the ICC T20I rankings.
India, the world’s top-ranked T20I side, then overwhelmed Sri Lanka by 124 runs. Sri Lanka were dismissed for 45 in 9.5 overs.
Pakistan’s quarter-final against Hong Kong, China was also washed out, allowing the sixth-ranked side to advance to the last four in the same manner.
Their semi-final against Bangladesh was reduced to 13 overs because of a wet outfield, but Pakistan still secured a six-wicket victory.
Recent India-Pakistan record
India won the teams’ most recent T20 meeting, defeating Pakistan by 61 runs in a T20 World Cup group-stage match in Colombo on February 15. Ishan Kishan led the way with 77 from 40 balls.
Pakistan’s last T20I victory over India came on September 4, 2022, when they won an Asia Cup semi-final by five wickets. Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with 71.
Across 17 T20 internationals, India have won 13 matches, Pakistan have won three and one has ended in a tie.
Rain could again play a decisive role in Saturday’s final. If the match is abandoned, the teams will share the gold medal, unlike at Hangzhou 2023, when India were awarded the title after their final against Afghanistan was washed out because of their higher ranking.
Players to watch in the Asian Games cricket final
India’s 15-year-old opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 38 in the semi-final, hitting six fours and two sixes. Kishan was unbeaten on 80 from 46 balls, including five sixes.
Pakistan’s left-arm wrist-spinner Sufyan Moqim took three wickets for 26 runs in three overs against Bangladesh. Abdul Samad struck an unbeaten 30 from 15 balls, with five fours and a six.
India will be captained by Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma as vice-captain. The squad also includes Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Yash Thakur.
Pakistan’s captain is Sahibzada Farhan, with Samad as vice-captain. Their squad includes Saim Ayub, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Arafat Minhas, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Saad Masood, Sufyan Moqim and Ali Raza.
Cricket is appearing at the Asian Games for the fourth time. Bangladesh won the inaugural men’s gold at Guangzhou 2010, Sri Lanka triumphed at Incheon 2014 and India took the title at Hangzhou 2023.
The final will be broadcast or streamed in India on Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV, and in Pakistan on PTV Sports and Ten Sports. Coverage is also listed for beIN Sports in the Middle East, Astro in Malaysia, Mediacorp in Singapore and TBS in Japan.
