India to face Pakistan in Asian Games 2026 men's cricket final

India will meet Pakistan in the men’s cricket final at the Asian Games 2026, with the gold medal match scheduled for October 3, 2026. The match will decide the men’s tournament gold medal at the Games.

Several teams entered the men’s cricket competition with hopes of reaching the final, but only two sides will now contest the gold. India entered the tournament as the defending champions and were led by captain Shreyas Iyer. Their quarter-final against Afghanistan was washed out because of rain; as the higher-ranked side, India advanced to the semi-finals without playing that match.

India then faced Sri Lanka in the second semi-final and won to secure their place in the gold medal match. That victory sent the defending champions through to the tournament decider.

Pakistan became the first team to qualify for the gold medal match after defeating Bangladesh in the first semi-final. The fixture was reduced to 13 overs because of a wet outfield; Bangladesh scored 111/7 in their 13 overs and Pakistan chased the target in 11.3 overs to win by six wickets.

With Pakistan already through from the first semi-final and India advancing from the second, the final will be an India versus Pakistan contest for the men’s cricket gold medal. The two teams will meet on October 3, 2026, for the tournament’s final.