India and Pakistan to receive joint gold if Asian Games 2026 final in Nisshin is washed out
India and Pakistan will play the men's cricket gold-medal final at the 2026 Asian Games in Nisshin on October 3, 2026, a match that faces the prospect of rain affecting play. Tournament rules for the 2026 edition specify that a completely washed-out final will result in both finalists being awarded gold medals.
Rain is expected around the venue, which could prevent the two teams from completing the match and force application of the tournament regulations. The 2026 procedure for an abandoned final differs from the system used at the previous Asian Games, meaning the outcome will be decided under the current edition’s rules rather than by prior criteria.
Under the 2026 regulations, if the gold-medal match is completely washed out and no result is possible, both India and Pakistan will be awarded gold medals. The rules explicitly remove the prior practice of awarding the title to one side based on ranking in the event of a full abandonment.
If play reaches a point where a result can be obtained, the DLS method may be used to determine a winner. For the match to produce a DLS result, the chasing team must have faced at least five overs; if that minimum is not met, a DLS decision cannot be applied.
The change in procedure contrasts with the 2023 men’s final, when Afghanistan posted 112/5 in 18.2 overs before heavy rain halted the match and India could not begin their chase. Because India were the higher-ranked T20I side under the rules in place at that time, they were declared champions and Afghanistan received the silver medal.
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The India–Pakistan gold-medal match is scheduled for October 3, 2026 in Nisshin; its final outcome will be decided either by DLS if the minimum play is achieved or by awarding joint gold medals in the event of a complete washout.