Table of Contents
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet the Indian men's cricket team on October 15 following their gold medal triumph at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. India defeated Pakistan in the final to retain the men's cricket title, securing their second consecutive gold medal in the competition.
The Indian team, led by Shreyas Iyer, produced strong performances in the knockout stages, beating Sri Lanka in the semi-final before overcoming Pakistan in the gold medal match. Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma played important roles in India's campaign, while the bowlers delivered under pressure against Pakistan.
India crushed Sri Lanka and Pakistan en route to Asian Games gold
India's quarter-final against Afghanistan on September 28 was abandoned without a ball being bowled. The team subsequently faced Sri Lanka in the semi-final on October 1 at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.
Batting first, India posted 169/7 in 20 overs, with Ishan Kishan leading the innings with an unbeaten 80 off 46 balls. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi contributed 38 from 21 deliveries. India's bowlers then dismantled Sri Lanka's batting line-up, bowling them out for just 45 in 9.5 overs. Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah and Abhishek Sharma took two wickets apiece as India won by 124 runs.
India met Pakistan in the final on October 3. Abhishek Sharma struck 61 off 28 balls, while Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 51 from 22 deliveries. Shivam Dube added 27 off 15 balls as India reached 211/6.
Pakistan threatened during the chase through Hasan Nawaz, who scored 96, but India restricted their opponents to 192/6 to win by 19 runs. Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube picked up two wickets each, helping India secure the gold medal.
PM Narendra Modi to meet Indian cricket team after Asian Games gold
A meeting between Prime Minister Modi and the Indian cricket team has been reported for October 15. Indian Express journalist Devendra Pandey shared the information on X, writing:
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet Indian cricket team members on October 15. Indian team won gold in Asian Games in Japan recently."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet Indian cricket team members on October 15. Indian team won gold in Asian Games in Japan recently.
— Devendra Pandey (@pdevendra) October 11, 2026
Modi had already congratulated the team after its victory, with the Prime Minister's Office sharing his message on October 3. He praised the players for retaining their Asian Games title and wished them well for their future endeavours.
Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma shined in Asian Games 2026
Ishan Kishan finished India's campaign with 100 runs in two innings, including an unbeaten 80 against Sri Lanka. Abhishek Sharma scored 68 runs, highlighted by his 61 in the final, while Tilak Varma accumulated 53 runs and remained unbeaten in the gold medal match.
Pakistan's Hasan Nawaz topped the tournament's run charts with 123 runs, followed by Kishan's 100 and Nepal's Sundeep Jora with 91. Abhishek Sharma finished with 68, while Tilak Varma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 53 each.
Axar Patel was India's leading wicket-taker, claiming four wickets across the two matches he played. He took 2/8 against Sri Lanka and 2/29 against Pakistan, contributing to India's successful title defence.
Also Read: Sanat Sangwan recalls how Virat Kohli inspired him during their memorable Ranji Trophy game
