Ishan Kishan created history during the Asian Games 2026 final between India and Pakistan at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin on Saturday, October 3. The India wicketkeeper-batter reached a major milestone during the high-profile clash, adding another notable achievement to his T20I career.
India, led by Shreyas Iyer, opted to bat first after winning the toss in Nisshin. Ishan Kishan came to the crease with India at 93/3 after 7.5 overs. Abhishek Sharma smashed 61 off 28 balls, including three fours and seven sixes, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 15 off nine and Sanju Samson added just two runs.
Ishan Kishan Becomes Second Indian to Score 1,000 T20I Runs in a Year
Ishan Kishan became only the second Indian after Suryakumar Yadav to score 1,000 T20I runs in a calendar year. He joined an exclusive list led by Mohammad Rizwan, who scored 1,326 runs for Pakistan in 2021, while Suryakumar amassed 1,164 runs for India in 2022.
He reached the milestone during his innings against Pakistan before Arafat Minhas ended his stay at the crease. The left-hander attempted a cross-batted stroke against a short delivery that skidded away from the surface, but he missed the pull and got an inside edge onto the off stump.
Minhas claimed his second wicket of the innings with the dismissal, removing the in-form batter for 20. The wicket was a significant moment for Pakistan as India lost their fourth batter with 128 runs on the board after 13.1 overs.
Most Runs in a Calendar Year — Full-Member Nations
| Player (Team) | Runs | Matches | Average | Strike Rate | 100/50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) | 1,326 | 29 | 73.66 | 134.89 | 1/12 |
| Suryakumar Yadav (IND) | 1,164 | 31 | 46.56 | 187.43 | 2/9 |
| Ishan Kishan (IND) | 1,005 | 29* | 38.65 | 169.76 | 1/7 |
| Mohammad Rizwan (PAK) | 996 | 25 | 45.27 | 122.96 | 0/10 |
| Babar Azam (PAK) | 939 | 29 | 37.56 | 127.58 | 1/9 |
Ishan Kishan Hails Warm Welcome and Support From Indian Fans in Japan
Ishan Kishan praised the warm reception the team has received in Japan. Kishan also stated that the fans’ backing gives the players confidence and appreciated their unconditional support regardless of the result.
“It's been a fantastic experience here overall. The local people have been incredibly warm and helpful, guiding us wherever we need to go, even despite the language barrier. When you're in a foreign country, seeing locals go out of their way to support you when it isn't even their job means a lot to us.”
“The best thing is that no matter where we play around the world, Indian supporters show up in huge numbers and give us that extra cushion of backing. It feels like we start every game with a slight upper hand because of them. I'm deeply grateful to everyone who travels long distances to support us.”
