India vs Pakistan again, but this time Asian Games gold is at stake on a tricky road

The ICC had just finished unveiling the schedule for next year’s ODI World Cup in South Africa when the India-Pakistan rivalry resurfaced, this time in an unexpected setting. Less than 48 hours later, the two sides will meet for the Asian Games gold medal. They will face each other at Korogi Park on Saturday morning in the first men’s cricket meeting between the neighbors at the Games.

It was a wet tournament. Rain washed out several matches and shortened others and the standard of cricket was poor as a result. The India-Pakistan final needs no such help. A gold medal and a familiar rivalry provide all the incentive both locker rooms require.

India fielded a strong T20 side with Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar all in Japan. Pakistan is considerably younger, led by Sahibzada Farhan and built around Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz, Abdul Samad and Arafat Minhas.

THE RIVALRY IS BACK

Anyone who has watched the game for a while will tell you that cricket is only half the story these days and the background is hard to ignore. The two teams have not shaken hands since last year’s Asian Cup and the same pattern was seen in volleyball, table tennis and hockey.

It will not be missing in the stands either. President of the Asian Cricket Council Mohsin Naqvi will not participate in the gold medal competition.

“ACC President Mr. Mohsin Naqvi will miss the Final Day at the 2026 Asian Games due to prior commitments but sends his best wishes to all four teams ahead of the gold and bronze medal matches,” the ACC said on its official X handle.

Naqvi is also the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Interior Minister of Pakistan. The Indian men’s and women’s teams refused to receive the Asia Cup trophies from him last year following the controversy surrounding the presentation ceremony.

His absence means that particular sub-draw will remain far from the podium on Saturday.

On the field, the two finalists took very different paths to get here. India was merciless towards Sri Lanka, bowling is out for 45 in the semi-final. Pakistan’s chase against Bangladesh was a much more complicated affair. Their batsmen kept giving up wickets in a shortened chase until Abdul Samad’s 15-ball 30 took them over the line.

Head-to-head tells its own story. India have won the last six T20Is against Pakistan and lead an overall record of 14-3. Pakistan’s last victory came in 2022 and when the teams last met, in the group stage of this year’s FIFA T20 World Cup in Colombo, Ishan Kishan drove home 77 for India.

In ODIs, Pakistan’s last win over India came in the 2017 Champions Trophy. The format has much more history, but the T20 version of this rivalry has been heavily one-sided in recent years.

India’s last five matches played are listed on WWWWW. Pakistan reads WLWWW.

THE PITCH THAT MATTERS

If there is a way back for Pakistan, it is through the surface. The pitch at Korogi Park was not easy to hit. Underlying humidity, bright sunshine, uneven bounces and turns all played out throughout the tournament and the semi-final reminded the batsmen that nothing can be taken for granted.

India are likely to lean heavily on Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi, with Abhishek Sharma a handy option if the ball turns sharply. Bumrah brings the threat of pace and unlike most bowlers in this competition needs very little help from the surface.

Pakistan are expected to rely on Abrar Ahmed and Sufyan Moqim, with Saim Ayub and Arafat Minhas also able to spin. Around 16 overs could be bowled between the two sides and this phase can decide the match.

At least the forecast is encouraging after all the disruption. One has a 1 percent chance of rain, another around 10 percent with some cloud cover. Temperatures should range from 16 to 27 degrees Celsius, with highs around 25.

PRESSURE ON T20 WORLD CHAMPIONS?

World T20 champions India have taken this tournament seriously. Bumrah is in Japan and several established T20 names have been tasked with winning the title.

For interim head coach VVS Laxman and captain Shreyas Iyer, India are expected to win and a gold medal against this Pakistani side is unlikely to bring them much praise. Losing would be a completely different matter. There’s not much to gain and a lot to lose here.

However, the young Pakistan side has players who can make India work, and Farhan is clear. In last year’s T20 Asia Cup, he scored 57, 58 and 40 against India. Pakistan lost all three matches, but his runs gave him some stability at the top while wickets fell around him.

Farhan has two half-centuries in four T20I innings against India at an average of 38.75. His strike rate of 118.32 is less impressive, although his nine sixes against India are the most by a Pakistani batsman in T20Is.

He even appeared in a promotional documentary about what it was like to hit Bumrah for a six. On Saturday, he gets another crack at the man himself.

IND vs PAK: PLAYERS TO WATCH

Farhan is a clear batting threat for Pakistan. For India, Sanju Samson will be looking for a better way after reaching seventh in the semi-final against Sri Lanka where he was bowled at reverse.

He also struggled to score quickly against Pakistan, with a T20I strike rate of under 100, though that comes from just two innings, both in the same Asia Cup. He batted in the middle order in this tournament before moving up to No. 3 in the semi-finals and another turnaround at No. 3 is possible on Saturday.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will attract a lot of eyeballs. The 15-year-old has been named in the playing XI for the semi-finals and is expected to be partnered by Abhishek Sharma at the top. Iyer, Kishan and Tilak Varma provide experience in the middle order and Shivam Dube adds another power-hitting option.

Pakistan needs more from Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz and Abdul Samad. Samad’s late strike was decisive against Bangladesh, but the rest of the order must avoid repeating the mistakes that have put them in trouble in this chase.

IND vs PAK: SPIN BATTLE

Both sides have built their attacks on the conditions, but Pakistan’s decision to field four spinners makes it particularly interesting. Abrar and Sufyan should handle most of the workload, with Saim and Arafat filling in. India have three established options in Axar, Washington and Bishnoi while Abhishek gives Iyer another option.

The surface could dictate how the middle overs unfold. Batsmen who attack spinners well can change the game quickly, but wickets in this period can leave both sides under pressure.

If the ball turns sharply, India’s deeper batting could be important. For their part, Pakistan need Abrar and Sufjan to make the most of the conditions.

IND vs PAK: TEAM NEWS

India omitted Arshdeep Singh in the semi-final and used Bumrah as the only front-runner, meaning Arshdeep did not play in the tournament.

With Bumrah already carrying the pace bowling, management could have brought Arshdeep back for the final over. The alternative is to stick with the combination that beat Sri Lanka and keep the option of extra spin.

Pakistan are expected to retain their four-run combination due to the conditions.

PREDICTED INDIA XI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (week), Shreyas Iyer (captain), Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah.

PREDICTED XI OF PAKISTAN: Sahibzada Farhan (capt), Maaz Sadaqat, Usman Khan (wk), Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz, Abdul Samad, Arafat Minhas, Ahmed Daniyal, Mohammad Wasim, Sufyan Moqim, Abrar Ahmed

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE RAIN FINALLY STOPS?

Rain has already decided the fate of several matches at these games, so the rules for the final are worth knowing.

At Hangzhou 2023, India were awarded gold after their final against Afghanistan ended in failure as they were the higher ranked team.

Aichi-Nagoya 2026 has different rules. If the India-Pakistan final is abandoned or lost due to rian, a Super Over will be played to decide the winner. If the Super Over itself cannot be completed, the teams will split the gold medal.

WHERE TO WATCH PAKISTAN CRICKET INDIA VS PAKISTAN FINAL?

Asian Games Men’s Cricket Final India Vs. Pakistan will be telecast live on Sony LIV in India. The match will be telecast on Sony Sports 1 with regional coverage on Sony Sports 3 in Hindi and Sony Sports 4 in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.

– The end