India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs on Saturday to clinch the men’s cricket gold medal at the Asian Games, successfully defending the title they won at the previous edition.
Batting first on a pitch that offered favourable conditions for stroke-making, India posted a strong total of 211 for six in their allotted 20 overs. Their aggressive batting effort put Pakistan under pressure while setting up a challenging target in the final.
Pakistan began the chase positively and Hasan Nawaz kept their hopes alive with a blistering 96 off just 50 balls. His innings included seven sixes and five fours, but Pakistan struggled to maintain the required scoring rate in the latter stages.
India’s bowlers held their nerve to restrict Pakistan to 192 for six, securing a 19-run victory and another gold medal in the men’s cricket competition.
All-rounder Axar Patel was the standout bowler for India, finishing with impressive figures of 2 wickets for 29 runs from his four overs.
The victory gave India their second consecutive Asian Games gold medal in men’s cricket and added another major achievement to their campaign at the continental sporting event.
