India beat Pakistan by 19 runs to win Asian Games cricket gold

India won the gold medal in the men’s cricket event of the Asian Games in Japan, beating Pakistan by 19 runs.

At the Kawagoe Sports Park, Pakistan chased a target of 212 and made 192 for six in their 20 overs. They won the silver medal.

Hasan Nawaz was Pakistan’s top scorer with 96 off 51 balls, including five fours and seven sixes. Saim Ayub scored 29.

Captain Sahibzada Farhan made 10. His opening partner Maaz Sadaqat scored 23. Usman Khan made 3 and Abdul Samad 9.

For India, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube took two wickets each.

Earlier, India won the toss and chose to bat first. They made 211 for six in their 20 overs.

Indian opener Abhishek Sharma played an aggressive innings of 61 off 28 balls, with seven sixes and three fours. His opening partner Suryavanshi scored 15.

Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson made 2, Ishan Kishan 20, captain Shreyas Iyer 21 and Shivam Dube 27. Tilak Varma remained not out on 51 off 22 balls, with four sixes and three fours.

For Pakistan, Arafat Minhas and Ahmed Daniyal took two wickets each, while Saim Ayub and Abrar Ahmed took one each.

At the toss, India captain Shreyas Iyer said the playing XI from the semi-final against Sri Lanka had been kept.

Pakistan’s side, led by Sahibzada Farhan, comprised Maaz Sadaqat, Usman Khan, Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz, Abdul Samad, Saad Masood, Arafat Minhas, Ahmed Daniyal, Abrar Ahmed and Sufyan Muqeem.

At the Asian Games too, India showed its usual stubbornness and ignored the spirit of the game, as the Indian captain did not shake hands with Pakistan captain Sahibzada Farhan.