India and Pakistan will share the gold medal if rain washes out the men’s cricket final at the 2026 Asian Games without a result. Unlike the 2023 Hangzhou Games, the current rules do not use T20I rankings to determine the champion if the final is abandoned at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin on Saturday, October 3.
The defending champions will be aiming to retain their 2023 gold medal, while Pakistan have reached the summit clash after beating Bangladesh in a rain-shortened semi-final. With rain still a concern in Nisshin, weather conditions could play a key role in determining whether the final gets underway.
India and Pakistan Set to Share Gold If Final Is Abandoned
There will be no ranking-based winner if the 2026 Asian Games final cannot produce a result. Both finalists will be declared joint champions and receive gold medals if persistent rain forces the summit clash to be abandoned.
The rule is different from what happened at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. India were awarded the men’s cricket gold medal after rain washed out the final against Afghanistan, with their higher T20I ranking used to determine the champion.
The weather could therefore play a major role in the outcome. According to the forecast, Nisshin has a 62% chance of rain in the morning, while the probability is expected to fall to 25% during the afternoon. Temperatures are likely to remain around 14°C to 20°C, with 37% cloud cover.
India and Pakistan Enter Final After Semi-Final Wins
The Men in Blue reached the final with a commanding 124-run victory over Sri Lanka. After being asked to bat first, they posted 169/7 in 20 overs despite losing two wickets for 24 runs.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi provided the early momentum with a quick 38 off 21 balls, before Ishan Kishan took control of the innings. The wicketkeeper-batter scored an unbeaten 80 runs, hitting five sixes and four boundaries to guide the team to a competitive total.
The bowlers then produced a dominant performance. Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 45 in 19.5 overs, with Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel and Abhishek Sharma claiming two wickets each.
Pakistan had a more competitive semi-final against Bangladesh. Rain reduced the contest to 13 overs per side. Pakistan restricted Bangladesh to 111/7, with Sufyan Moqim taking 3/26 and Arafat Minhas claiming 2/23.
Pakistan slipped to 53/4 but Abdul Samad and Hasan Nawaz then changed the game with an unbeaten 59-run fifth-wicket partnership. Samad scored 30* off 15 balls, while Hasan Nawaz made 27* off 22 as Pakistan reached the target with nine balls remaining.
India-Pakistan Rivalry, Key Players and Team Strengths
The final will be the first men's cricket meeting between the two arch-rivals at the Asian Games. India have played five matches in the men's event since the 2023 Hangzhou Games without facing Pakistan. The women's teams have also not met at the Asian Games during this period.
The Shreyas Iyer-led team will enter the final with a strong recent record against Pakistan, having won 14 of their 17 T20I meetings and currently carrying a six-match unbeaten streak in the rivalry. India are also unbeaten in their last eight T20Is and sit at the top of the T20I rankings.
Their most recent meeting came at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in February, when the Men in Blue won by 61 runs. India scored 175, with Ishan Kishan scoring 77 off 40 balls. Saim Ayub took three wickets for Pakistan.
However, Pakistan were later bowled out for 114. Usman Khan top-scored with 44, while Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya took two wickets each.
