India secured a cricket double at the 2026 Asian Games on October 3, with the men’s team capturing gold after defeating Pakistan by 19 runs in the final held at Korogi Athletic Park near Nagoya. This victory followed the Indian women’s team earlier success, completing a clean sweep in cricket for the nation at the Games.

Batting first, India posted 211 for 6, the highest total recorded in the cricket tournament at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. Key contributions came from opener Abhishek Sharma, who scored a rapid 61 runs, and Tilak Varma, who remained unbeaten on 51 off just 22 balls. Sharma’s innings featured seven sixes and three fours over 28 deliveries, although he was eventually dismissed stumped by Arafat Minhas in the eighth over. Varma’s late surge pushed the team past the 200-run mark.

Pakistan faced an uphill battle in their chase, starting with a loss of early wickets and managing only 76 for 3 at the midway point of their innings. Despite a resilient 96-run effort from Hasan Nawaz, Pakistan was ultimately bowled out for 192. India’s bowling attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah’s disciplined spells and spinner Axar Patel’s key wickets, kept the opposition under control throughout.

India captain Shreyas Iyer emphasized the pressure of playing Pakistan in the final but credited his team’s composure for the win. “The whole country is watching, and you have that pressure,” Iyer said. “I told my teammates to stick to what we have been doing, not get overwhelmed by the occasion.” He also noted the team’s limited practice opportunities due to weather conditions but pointed to their character displayed during the match.

Pakistan’s coach Mike Hesson acknowledged the toughness of facing a world-class batting lineup and expressed optimism about the experience gained by their young bowlers. “We decided to bring some young bowlers and give them some experience and opportunity,” Hesson said. “They will learn a heck of a lot from this.”

Earlier in the tournament, Sri Lanka edged out Bangladesh by 63 runs to claim the bronze medal. The Indian women’s team secured gold on September 22, overpowering Sri Lanka by 147 runs in their final.

The men’s cricket final marked a high point for India’s campaign in Nagoya, underscoring their dominance in the sport at this edition of the Asian Games.