India secured their place in the Asian Games men’s cricket final after a dominant 124-run victory against a second-string Sri Lanka side on Thursday. The win at Korogi Athletic Park sets up a highly anticipated gold-medal match against rivals Pakistan, marking the first time the two nations have competed for the top prize at the games.
India’s total of 170 was anchored by Ishan Kishan, who remained unbeaten on 80 from 46 deliveries, supported by opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 38. In response, Sri Lanka’s innings collapsed rapidly. Pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah opened the spell with two wickets in five balls, removing Sineth Jayawardena and Sohan de Livera for ducks. Sri Lanka was ultimately dismissed for just 45 runs in 9.5 overs, with Abhishek Sharma contributing two wickets for only two runs. Trapping Sineth Jayawardena lbw for a duck and having number three Sohan de Livera caught behind for nought, pace supremo Jasprit Bumrah (2-7) set the tone with two wickets in the first five balls. With number four Nuwanidu Fernando, the second innings’ top scorer, out for 15, two more run-outs followed as Sri Lanka collapsed on a warm and sunny afternoon.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan reached the final by defeating Bangladesh in a rain-affected semifinal. The contest was reduced to 13 overs per side due to a wet outfield. Pakistan secured a six-wicket win, led by Abdul Samad’s unbeaten 30 off 15 balls. Bangladesh had set a target of 112, bolstered by Towhid Hridoy’s 42, though they were stifled by Pakistan’s spinner Sufyan Moqim, who claimed 3-26.
The path to the semifinals saw all four remaining teams qualify based on their international rankings, as their respective quarterfinals were abandoned because of rain. India is currently aiming for back-to-back men’s cricket titles, following their gold-medal win in Hangzhou three years ago, which was awarded via the ranking rule after the final against Afghanistan was washed out.
The upcoming match has drawn attention due to persistent political tensions between the two cricket boards. In recent years, players from both nations have opted against traditional handshakes during post-match ceremonies. This trend began in September last year, when then-captain Suryakumar Yadav and his team declined to shake hands with Pakistan or accept a trophy from Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s interior minister.
These frictions have been observed across multiple tournaments. Similar gestures were omitted during the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 in Sri Lanka, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England, and the recent Women’s Asia Cup group stages. Furthermore, the Indian women’s team repeated this stance last month in Dubai by refusing to accept a trophy from Naqvi after securing the Asia Cup title.
The broader cricket landscape remains focused on these interpersonal dynamics as the men’s teams prepare to clash for gold. Meanwhile, Indian women successfully defended their own Asian Games title earlier this cycle, while Pakistan’s women’s team claimed bronze after defeating Bangladesh.
