India stormed into the Asian Games men’s cricket final after crushing Sri Lanka by 124 runs in the semifinal at Nisshin on Thursday, October 1. The defending champions posted 169 for 7 before bowling Sri Lanka out for just 45 in 9.5 overs. The victory also set up the first India-Pakistan final of 2026, with the Asian Games gold medal at stake.
Ishan Kishan was the star with the bat, smashing an unbeaten 80 off 46 balls in difficult batting conditions. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi provided valuable support at the top of the order with 38 off 21 balls as India managed to reach 169 despite a challenging pitch.
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The surface at Nisshin made stroke-making difficult, with cracks on the track causing the ball to behave unpredictably. India lost wickets at regular intervals but Kishan continued to find ways to score. He brought up his half-century from just 33 balls and accelerated towards the end of the innings.
Kishan survived a couple of nervous moments after reaching fifty, including a dropped chance at mid-off. He eventually remained unbeaten and played a major role in pushing India to a total that proved far beyond Sri Lanka’s reach. India hit eight boundaries in the final eight overs, with Kishan contributing to most of the late acceleration.
India’s bowlers then produced a stunning performance. Jasprit Bumrah was almost unplayable, claiming two wickets for just seven runs from his two overs. Axar Patel also picked up two wickets for eight runs, while Abhishek Sharma took two for two.
The Indian spinners played a particularly important role on the difficult surface. India went into the match with four spinners, while Sri Lanka had three, and the strategy paid off. Spinners delivered 149 of the 179 balls bowled during the match and accounted for 12 wickets. They also bowled 73 dot balls, highlighting the extent of India’s control.
Bumrah made an immediate impact in the Sri Lankan chase, striking with the second ball. He dismissed Sineth Jayawardena after the batter attempted to attack him, before removing Sohan de Livera in his next over. India became the first team to take two wickets in a men’s T20I before conceding a run.
Sri Lanka’s problems were compounded by three run-outs. Lasith Croospulle was run out by Ravi Bishnoi, while Sahan Arachchige and Ashen Bandara fell while attempting aggressive shots against Axar Patel. Nuwanidu Fernando briefly threatened with two sixes but was later run out attempting a single.
Sri Lanka were eventually dismissed for 45, their second-lowest total in men’s Asian Games cricket and joint-lowest total by a Full Member in men’s T20Is. India therefore completed a comprehensive 124-run victory and secured their place in the final.
The result now sets up an India-Pakistan gold-medal clash. With both teams meeting in the final, the Asian Games cricket competition will have a high-profile finish as India look to defend their title.
