INDIA and Pakistan will meet for the Asian Games men's cricket gold medal on Saturday (3) after both cruised through their semi-finals in Japan on Thursday (1).
World champions India crushed Sri Lanka by 124 runs, hours after Pakistan swept past Bangladesh by six wickets, setting up a final at the Korogi Athletic Park Stadium in Nagoya.
Both camps played down the occasion, insisting they were focused on the conditions and winning rather than the opponent.
"To be honest, we don't really care about who will win and who will reach the final," said Pakistan batsman Saim Ayub, speaking before India's semi-final. "All we care about is winning the final, no matter who we are playing against."
India spinner Axar Patel said the team's main concern was the surface. "We don't know anything about the final match yet," he said. "Especially about which wicket we will be playing on. But all three pitches in that square look very similar as they all have a lot of cracks."
Sri Lanka routed
India arrive in the final in commanding form after a ruthless display against Sri Lanka on a pitch offering sharp turn.
Sent in to bat, India reached 169-7. Ishan Kishan anchored the innings with 80 not out, which included five sixes. Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, making his Asian Games debut, gave the innings early momentum with 38 off 21 balls before he was caught at backward point.
"He is an amazing talent," Sri Lanka coach Ashan Priyanjan said of Sooryavanshi.
Sri Lanka then fell apart. Jasprit Bumrah struck twice in his opening over, and Sri Lanka were 18-5 after four overs, with Patel claiming two of the wickets. They were bowled out for 45 inside 10 overs, a collapse that included three run-outs.
It was Sri Lanka's lowest total in men's T20 internationals, below the 77 they made against South Africa in New York in 2024.
Samad seals it
Pakistan's path to the final was also comfortable, though rain had left the outfield wet and the semi-final was cut to 13 overs a side.
Bangladesh slumped to 21-3 and then 45-4 in the sixth over. Towhid Hridoy's 42 off 25 balls, with four sixes, lifted them to 111-7.
Pakistan wobbled to 53-4 in reply before Abdul Samad and Hasan Nawaz took charge with an unbroken stand of 59 off 32 balls. Samad hit 30 not out off 15 balls, including 22 in five deliveries off Mustafizur Rahman in the 10th over. Nawaz finished on 27 not out, and Pakistan reached 112-4 with nine balls to spare.
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will contest the bronze medal match, also on Saturday.
(with inputs from agencies)
