India Defeat Sri Lanka by 124 Runs to Join Pakistan in Final
Pakistan and India are set to meet in the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket gold-medal match after both teams won their respective semifinals in contrasting fashion. Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by six wickets, while India recorded a 124-run victory over Sri Lanka to book their place in the final.
India produced a dominant performance against Sri Lanka in the second semifinal. Batting first, India posted 169 for seven, with wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan scoring an unbeaten 80 to anchor the innings. India then bowled Sri Lanka out for only 45, securing a 124-run victory.
India’s bowling attack proved too strong for the Sri Lankan batting lineup. Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel and Abhishek Sharma all contributed wickets as Sri Lanka struggled to build partnerships during the chase. The 124-run margin confirmed India’s place in the gold-medal match.
Pakistan had earlier secured their final place with a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh. The semifinal was reduced to 13 overs per side because of weather, with Bangladesh making 111 for seven before Pakistan chased the revised target in 11.3 overs.
Pakistan’s chase initially suffered a setback as they lost four wickets for 53 runs. However, Abdul Samad and Hasan Nawaz combined to produce the decisive partnership, taking Pakistan across the target without further damage. Pakistan reached 112 for four in 11.3 overs to qualify for the final.
The result sets up a meeting between India and Pakistan in the Asian Games men’s cricket final on October 3 at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. It will be the first meeting between the two countries in a men’s cricket gold-medal match at the Asian Games.
The final will determine the gold medal, while Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will compete for bronze. Both finalists have therefore completed their semifinal assignments and can now prepare for the final contest in Japan.
The Asian Games cricket final adds another major fixture to the sporting calendar for both teams. With India reaching the final after a comprehensive semifinal victory and Pakistan progressing through a shortened contest against Bangladesh, the gold-medal match will bring the two sides together on October 3.
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