India romped to a hard-fought 19-run win against Pakistan in the Asian Games 2026 final, clinching the gold medal at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin on Saturday. After Indian captain Shreyas Iyer decided to bat, India posted a gigantic total of 211/6 in 20 overs following Abhishek Sharma’s batting fireworks. The left-hand batter gave India a big boost and attacked Pakistan’s bowling unit from the beginning to tonk an eye-catching knock. He cracked a rapid 61 off 28 deliveries that gave India a solid platform early in the innings.
Pakistan's bowlers Arafat Minhas and Ahmed Daniyal, however managed to pull things back, with both finishing with two wickets. But Indian players Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube changed the picture of the innings once again. Dube played a meaningful knock of 27 off 15 balls, while Tilak sliced a stunning 51 off 22 deliveries. Their incredible performance propelled India to a dominant total. Pakistan's chase, on the other hand, did not begin on a good note, as their top order struggled to provide early impetus.
Hasan Nawaz, however, refused to let go as he muscled an outstanding innings of 96, keeping Pakistan's hopes alive. Despite his efforts, Pakistan could not make it home, as Indian bowlers remained defiant in their resolve. Notably, India have now secured back-to-back gold medals. Meanwhile, Pakistan end their campaign with a silver medal after showing valiant effort against India.