‘Pakistan doesn’t offer much competition’: BCCI takes a stand after Asian Games final

The Indian team holds the national flag as they celebrate after winning the final T20I cricket match against Pakistan (PTI Photo) BCCI president Mithun Manhas praised how India handled the pressure in the 2026 Asian Games men’s cricket final against Pakistan while examining the quality of competition the arch-rivals have offered in recent years.India secured one of their 21 gold medals at the Games after defeating Pakistan by 19 runs in the final on Saturday, October 3 at the Korakuen Stadium in Nishinshin, Japan. A closely fought match saw Pakistan press India hard during the chase but the defending champions held their nerve to retain the gold medal.However, Manhas felt the result also highlighted what he sees as a decline in the competitiveness of India-Pakistan competitions.“They beat arch-rivals Pakistan, who I don’t think offer much competition anymore, and the way our team handled pressure situations… no other team in the world can do that,” Manhas said after the final.The BCCI president also praised India’s overall campaign and insisted that the team deserved its status as the best team of the tournament.“By far the best team of the tournament. We are the defending champions and the performance they have shown this time is commendable,” he added.

Abhishek sets the tone, Tilak finishes strong

Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma played key roles in India’s impressive total of 211, with both batsmen registering half-centuries.Manhas highlighted the contributions of the two batters and explained how India’s top and middle order combined to put Pakistan under pressure.“This is a team sport. Tilak Varma batted brilliantly and Abhishek Sharma set the tone for the game. The opener’s job is to build the innings and the middle order completes it. So the openers basically set the tone,” said Manhas.Abhishek gave India an explosive start as he scored 61 off 28 balls while Tilak hit 51 off 22. India lost wickets during the middle overs but recovered thanks to Tilak and Shiva Dube adding 62 runs off 30 balls for the sixth wicket.“The Indian team’s batting has been tremendous and as far as the bowling is concerned, I would say that everyone has contributed together to defend a good unit,” added the former Delhi batsman.

Pitchers hold their nerve

India’s 211 was the first total above 200 in the tournament. However, Pakistan put up a serious challenge in the chase led by Hasan Nawaz who smashed 96 off 51 deliveries.The Indian bowlers eventually managed to restrict Pakistan to 182/6 after 20 overs, securing a 19-run victory. Axar Patel and Washington Sundar claimed two wickets each while Jasprit Bumrah went wicketless but played a key role by bowling effectively during the tense stages of the chase.The win gave India the gold medal for cricket at the Asian Games after triumphing in the previous edition.