Vijay Singh
New Delhi [India], October 3: India’s men’s cricket team added another gold medal to the country’s campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, beating Pakistan by 19 runs in the final at Nisshin on Saturday.
India posted 211-6, the highest total of the Games, after half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma gave the side a strong finish. Abhishek made 61 from 28 balls, while Varma remained unbeaten on 51 from just 22 deliveries.
Pakistan had a target of 212 but struggled to keep pace with the required run rate. The team finished short, giving India the men’s gold and completing a cricket double after the women’s team had already won the title.
Abhishek sets the tone
India captain Shreyas Iyer opted to bat first at Korogi Sports Park, and the decision quickly paid off.
Pakistan opened the bowling with spin from both ends, but Saad Masood’s first over went for 24 runs and he was taken out of the attack. Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hit him for two sixes before falling while attempting a reverse sweep against Saim Ayub.
Ayub celebrated the dismissal with a rocking-baby gesture.
Sanju Samson did not last long either, but India’s innings soon settled into the hands of Abhishek. The opener reached his fifty from only 20 balls, using a series of boundaries and sixes to put Pakistan under pressure.
It was not a completely straightforward innings. Abhishek survived a run-out opportunity and twice struck shots in the same over that fell just short of Ayub.
Still, the damage had been done.
Abhishek hit seven sixes and three fours before Arafat Minhas finally ended his innings in the eighth over by having him stumped.
Varma provides the late push
India were 114-3 at the halfway stage and in a strong position, although the scoring rate slowed after Abhishek’s departure.
Minhas then dismissed Ishan Kishan, but Tilak Varma kept the innings moving. He reached his fifty in just 21 balls and provided the late acceleration India needed.
His unbeaten 51 from 22 balls helped India cross the 200 mark and finish on 211-6.
That gave Pakistan a demanding target, but the chase never really gathered momentum.
Pakistan struggle in the chase
Pakistan reached only 76-3 at the halfway stage, leaving them with a steep task in the second half of the innings.
Jasprit Bumrah kept the pressure on with a tight spell, while Axar Patel added to Pakistan’s problems by dismissing Usman Khan and Maaz Sadaqat, who had made 23.
Nawaz tried to keep the chase alive, but Pakistan struggled to find enough support at the other end. His innings ended with the final ball of the match, bringing India’s victory to a close.
The 19-run win gave India another gold medal in the cricket competition.
India complete the double
Earlier in the Games, Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh by 63 runs to take the bronze medal in the men’s competition.
India’s women’s team had already secured gold on September 22 after beating Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the women’s final.
The men’s victory therefore completed a clean sweep for India in cricket at the Games.
For the men’s side, the final was also another strong showing from a team that managed to combine an aggressive start with enough control in the second half of the innings.
Abhishek’s quick fifty gave India the early advantage, while Varma’s late hitting ensured the total stayed beyond Pakistan’s reach.
In the end, India’s 211-6 proved enough. Pakistan’s chase never reached the pace it needed, and India walked away with the gold after another win over their long-time rivals.
