India produced a dramatic run of results on Day 13 of the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, with the country securing medals across multiple disciplines and reaching finals in hockey and cricket.
The biggest moment of the day came in the men’s hockey semifinal, where India edged Pakistan 4-3 in a thrilling contest. India appeared to be in complete control after taking a 3-0 lead, but Pakistan fought back strongly to level the match at 3-3. With the game heading towards a tense finish, India found the decisive goal in the final minute to seal victory and book a place in the final.
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The result set up another opportunity for India to fight for the men’s hockey gold medal. It also marked a significant moment for Indian hockey, with both the men’s and women’s teams reaching the Asian Games finals for the first time since the 1998 Bangkok Games.
Earlier, the Indian women’s team had secured a bronze medal in squash after Joshana Chinappa, Anahat Singh and Tanvi Khanna lost their semifinal against Hong Kong, China 1-2. India also earned its first sailing medal of the Games through Prince Noble Kurisinkal and Manu Francis.
India’s cricket team also progressed to the final after defeating Sri Lanka by 124 runs in their semifinal. India had posted a strong total before restricting Sri Lanka during the chase. The victory means India will face Pakistan in the final, setting up another high-profile India-Pakistan clash at the Games.
Axar Patel, who was part of India’s winning cricket team, spoke about the unique experience of competing at a multi-sport event. He said wearing an athlete accreditation card in Nagoya brought a different level of recognition compared with playing at cricket tournaments.
India’s day also featured action in shooting, squash, golf and sepaktakraw.
In shooting, Anish Bhanwala’s campaign in the men’s event came to an end after he was eliminated following the third series. Bhanwala was tied with other shooters on 11 points, but his lower qualification ranking meant he was eliminated under the revised competition rules.
In sepaktakraw, India defeated Vietnam 2-0 before beating Myanmar 2-1 in the men’s quadrant Group A. The results confirmed India’s place in the semifinals and guaranteed another medal.
Golf also produced encouraging performances. Pranavi Urs continued her impressive campaign in the women’s event, carding a flawless seven-under 63 to move to 11-under for the tournament and second place. Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar, however, endured tougher rounds.
In the men’s team competition, Saptak Talwar shot a six-under 68, while Veer Ahlawat and Yuvraj Sandhu also posted competitive scores. India ended the day fifth in the team standings.
Squash also remained a major focus, with India battling Malaysia for a place in the men’s team final. Abhay Singh faced Malaysian star Ng Eain Yow in the opening rubber, while Veer Chotrani and Sanjay Jeeva were also involved in the tie.
With several medal events still to come, Day 13 remains an important day for India’s campaign in Aichi-Nagoya. The men’s hockey final and cricket final will give India further opportunities to add to its medal tally, while athletes in squash, golf, shooting and other disciplines continue their respective campaigns.
