India will face arch-rivals Pakistan in the men’s cricket gold medal match at the Asian Games 2026. The blockbuster final will take place on Saturday, October 3, at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. It will be the first time India and Pakistan have met in an Asian Games final.
Both teams booked their places in the final with convincing semi-final victories. India produced a dominant all-round performance against Sri Lanka. They won by 124 runs after posting 169/7. Ishan Kishan scored an unbeaten 80 off 46 balls, while the bowlers dismissed Sri Lanka for just 45 in 9.4 overs.
Pakistan defeated Bangladesh in a rain-shortened semi-final. Chasing 111 in 13 overs, they slipped to 53/4 before Abdul Samad and Hasan Nawaz guided them to victory with an unbeaten 59-run partnership. Pakistan reached the target with nine balls to spare and secured their place in the gold medal match.
India are aiming to retain the Asian Games gold medal, while Pakistan will look to claim a medal after missing out on the medal in the previous edition. If rain washes out the final, both teams will share the gold medal rather than using seeding to determine the winner.
IND vs PAK Match Preview & Recent Form
India showed their depth in the semi-final against Sri Lanka after losing two early wickets for 24 runs. Ishan Kishan took control of the innings and remained unbeaten on 80 off 46 balls, hitting five sixes and four boundaries. India recovered and posted 169/7 in their 20 overs.
India’s bowlers then produced a ruthless performance. Sri Lanka collapsed to 45 all out in 9.4 overs. Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets in the opening over. Axar Patel and Abhishek Sharma also struck with the ball, while several run-outs added to Sri Lanka’s problems.
Pakistan faced a tougher challenge against Bangladesh in their rain-shortened semi-final. Bangladesh posted 110/8 in 13 overs after Pakistan’s bowlers kept the scoring under control. Sufyan Moqim was the standout bowler with three wickets.
Pakistan slipped to 53/4, but Abdul Samad and Hasan Nawaz responded with a crucial unbeaten 59-run stand. Samad scored 30* off 15 balls, while Hasan Nawaz finished with 27* off 22 to take Pakistan over the line with 1.3 overs remaining.
India have dominated the two teams’ T20I rivalry, winning 14 of their 17 meetings. Pakistan’s young side has already handled pressure well in the tournament, while India will rely on their experience and all-round depth in the gold medal clash.
IND vs PAK Live Streaming, Live Telecast: Where To Watch Asian Games 2026 Final?
Cricket fans in India can watch the India vs Pakistan gold medal match live on the Sony Sports Network. The final will also be available for live streaming on the SonyLIV app and website. The match will begin at 10:30 AM IST (2:00 PM local time) from Nisshin, Japan.
Viewers in Pakistan can watch the final live on PTV Sports, with digital streaming available through PTV’s official platforms. The high-profile clash is expected to attract a large audience as India and Pakistan battle for the Asian Games gold medal.
IND vs PAK Pitch Report: How Will Korogi Sports Park Play?
The Korogi Sports Park pitch has offered challenging conditions for batters during the tournament. The surface has developed cracks as the matches have progressed, leading to uneven bounce and making stroke-making difficult.
Fast bowlers who hit the right areas and spinners who maintain tight lines could benefit from these conditions. The six-over powerplay will be important, as both teams will look to make the most of the harder ball. The captain winning the toss could prefer to bat first and put runs on the board in the final.
Aichi Prefectural Korogi Sports Park T20 Stats
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Total Matches: 12 (6 completed, 6 no result/abandoned)
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Won Batting First: 3
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Won Bowling First: 3
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Average 1st Innings Score: 121
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Average 2nd Innings Score: 85
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Highest Team Total: 169/7 (India vs Sri Lanka)
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Lowest Team Total: 45 (Sri Lanka vs India)
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Highest Score Chased: 112/4 (Pakistan vs Bangladesh)
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Lowest Score Defended: 121/8 (Hong Kong, China vs Oman)
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Highest Individual Score: 80* (Ishan Kishan, India vs Sri Lanka, 2026)
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Best Bowling Figures: 4/8 (Arab Gul Momand, Afghanistan vs Japan, 2026)
IND vs PAK Weather Forecast & Rain Threat at Korogi Sports Park
Weather conditions in Nisshin have affected the latter stages of the Asian Games cricket tournament, with several matches facing washouts or reductions in overs.
Passing showers remain a concern, and any rain could interrupt play or reduce the number of overs. The captains will need to keep the weather in mind when making decisions at the toss.
If rain affects the second innings, the DLS method could come into play. The teams will need to keep up with the required scoring rate in case another interruption occurs. A complete washout would result in India and Pakistan sharing the gold medal.
IND vs PAK Team News & Injury Updates
India have a fully fit squad after their semi-final victory. Captain Shreyas Iyer will rely on the opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who impressed with a quick 38 against Sri Lanka. Jasprit Bumrah will lead India’s pace attack and could play a key role on the challenging surface.
Pakistan have also settled on their combination despite fielding a different squad from their senior T20I group. Sahibzada Farhan will lead the side, with Saim Ayub and Usman Khan providing firepower at the top. Sufyan Moqim, Abrar Ahmed, and Arafat Minhas will form the main spin options.
IND vs PAK Predicted Playing 11 Today
India Predicted Playing XI:
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah.
Pakistan Predicted Playing XI:
Sahibzada Farhan (c), Saim Ayub, Usman Khan (wk), Maaz Sadaqat, Hasan Nawaz, Abdul Samad, Arafat Minhas, Ahmed Daniyal, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Abrar Ahmed, Sufyan Moqim.
IND vs PAK Key Player Battles to Watch
Saim Ayub vs Jasprit Bumrah:
Saim Ayub will look to attack during the powerplay, while Jasprit Bumrah will look to use his movement and variations to trouble Ayub on the Nisshin surface.
Ishan Kishan vs Sufyan Moqim:
Ishan Kishan enters the final after scoring an unbeaten 80 against Sri Lanka. Sufyan Moqim, meanwhile, took three wickets in Pakistan’s semi-final win over Bangladesh.
Shreyas Iyer vs Abrar Ahmed:
Shreyas Iyer will anchor India’s middle order while Abrar Ahmed will look to vary his pace and attack the stumps. Iyer will need to rotate the strike during the middle overs.
IND vs PAK Key Players to Watch
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India: Ishan Kishan, Jasprit Bumrah, Abhishek Sharma
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Pakistan: Sufyan Moqim, Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan
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