Abhishek and Tilak power India past Pakistan to retain Asian Games cricket gold

India retained their Asian Games men’s cricket title on Saturday, beating Pakistan by 19 runs in the final at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan.

Shreyas Iyer’s side won the toss, chose to bat and made 211 for 6 in their 20 overs. Pakistan replied with 192 for 6.

How the final was won

• Abhishek Sharma set the tone with 61 off 28 balls, including seven sixes.
• Tilak Varma finished the innings with an unbeaten 51 off 22 balls.
• Hasan Nawaz kept Pakistan in the chase with 96 off 51 balls, but got little support.
• India’s spinners and all-rounders shared the wickets: Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube took two each.

Since the day we arrived in Japan, it was raining cats and dogs and we couldn’t practise for almost a week. But the boys, the way they prepped themselves… That was a sign of a champion itself. — Shreyas Iyer, India captain

A cricket double

It is India’s second straight Asian Games men’s cricket gold after Hangzhou 2023. The women’s team had already defended their title on 22 September, beating Sri Lanka by 147 runs in their final, so India won both cricket golds again.

Sources: Outlook India, Time News.