Ishan Kishan smashed an unbeaten 80 as India defeated Sri Lanka by 124 runs to book their place in the men’s cricket final at the Asian Games 2026 on Thursday.
India, after being asked to bat first, posted 169/7. Kishan anchored the innings with a 46-ball unbeaten knock that included four fours and five sixes.
He received good support from young opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who scored 38 off just 21 balls.
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Bumrah, Axar and Abhishek destroy Sri Lanka
India’s bowlers then produced a dominant display as Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 45 in 9.5 overs.
Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel picked up two wickets each, while Abhishek Sharma also claimed two wickets. Washington Sundar chipped in with one wicket.
Nuwanidu Fernando was the only Sri Lankan batter to reach double figures, scoring 15. Five Sri Lankan batters were dismissed without scoring.
Earlier, Sahan Arachchige and Tharindu Ratnayake picked up two wickets each for Sri Lanka. Wanuja Sahan, Nuwanidu Fernando and Lasith Croospulle took one wicket apiece.
India to face Pakistan in gold medal match
India will now face Pakistan in the gold medal match on October 3.
Pakistan booked their place in the final after beating Bangladesh by six wickets in a rain-affected semifinal.
The final will add another chapter to the India-Pakistan rivalry, with both teams now just one win away from the Asian Games gold medal.
What happens if India vs Pakistan final is washed out?
The rain situation could have a different outcome this time compared to the previous edition of the Asian Games.
At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, the men’s cricket final between India and Afghanistan was washed out without a result. India were awarded the gold medal based on their higher ranking.
However, the rules for the 2026 edition are different. If the final is washed out and no result is possible, both India and Pakistan will be awarded gold medals under the applicable competition rules.
This means there could be a rare situation where both teams are declared joint gold medallists if rain completely prevents the final from taking place.
Brief Scores:
India: 169 for 7 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 80; Sahan Arachchige 2/28).
Sri Lanka: 45 allout in 9.5 overs (Nuwanidu Fernando 15; Jasprit Bumrah 2/7, Axar Patel 2/8, Abhishek Sharma 2/2 ).