India defended their Asian Games cricket gold medal in style after the men’s team beat Pakistan by 19 runs on Saturday. After the women’s cricket team won gold earlier at the Asian Games 2026, the men’s team completed a sweet double by beating their arch-rivals. India opted to bat first, and the opening pair of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma made their intentions clear right from the start. Sooryavanshi slammed two huge sixes off Saad Masood in the second over. However, Japan could not witness a Sooryavanshi blitz for long as the teenager was dismissed by Saim Ayub on the first ball of the third over. Sooryavanshi attempted a reverse sweep, but the line of the delivery was too wide outside off stump. The ball kissed the batter’s gloves and went through to the wicketkeeper. As he walked back, Ayub made a crude “cradling a baby” gesture while looking at Sooryavanshi.
Ayub’s joy did not last long, as he was hit for a four and two sixes in the final three balls of the over. India went on to score 211/6. Later, Pakistan fell short by 19 runs.
Abhishek Sharma smashed the fastest fifty by an Indian against Pakistan in T20Is before Tilak Varma produced a blazing late assault as India overcame a sluggish surface to post 211/6 in 20 overs.
INSTANT KARMA HAS ENTERED THE CHAT!
Saim Ayub got 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi out…
Then came the celebration.
He made a “baby in the cradle” gesture, appearing to mock the teenage Indian opener after taking his wicket.
But cricket had a response ready.
The next… pic.twitter.com/92tjbTMnEH
— Anil Bansal (@dilseanilbansal) October 3, 2026
Abhishek reached his fifty in just 20 deliveries, bettering his own 24-ball effort against Pakistan in Dubai in 2025, while Tilak followed with a 21-ball fifty as the duo guided India through contrasting phases of the innings.
Abhishek eventually made 61 off 28 balls, with three fours and seven sixes, while Tilak and Shivam Dube added 62 runs for the sixth wicket to give India a strong finish.
Later, lone warrior Hasan Nawaz kept Pakistan alive with his unbeaten 96 off 51 deliveries, but it was not enough as India clinched a dominant 19-run victory to defend their gold medal in the Asian Games men’s cricket final at Korogi Sports Park on Saturday.
Spin duo Washington Sundar and Axar Patel claimed two wickets each, while Shivam Dube chipped in with two wickets in the latter stages of the run chase to help India beat Pakistan.
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