India Beat Pakistan by 19 Runs in Asian Games Cricket Final

NISSHIN: India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs in the Asian Games cricket final at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan, on Saturday.

India set Pakistan a target of 212 runs after scoring 211-6 in their innings. Pakistan finished their chase at 192-6.

Pakistan made a promising start as openers Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat put together a 33-run partnership. Farhan was dismissed by Washington Sundar for 10 off 11 balls.

Axar Patel then dismissed wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan for three, leaving Pakistan at 36-2. Axar struck again to remove Maaz for 23 off 18 balls.

Saim Ayub and Hasan Nawaz rebuilt the innings with an 87-run partnership. Nawaz continued his strong batting form and scored his third T20I half-century.

Shivam Dube ended the partnership by dismissing Saim for 29 off 22 balls. Sundar later removed Abdul Samad for nine.

Pakistan needed 33 runs from the final over but could not reach the target. Nawaz remained unbeaten on 96 off 51 balls, including five boundaries and seven sixes. Saad Masood scored 12 as Pakistan finished on 192-6.

For India, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube took two wickets each.

India’s Innings

India got off to a strong start after opting to bat first. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma put together 28 runs before Saim Ayub dismissed Sooryavanshi for 15.

Abhishek continued attacking Pakistan’s bowlers and scored 61 off 28 balls, including three boundaries and seven sixes. Arafat Minhas eventually dismissed him.

Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan then added 35 runs before Minhas dismissed Kishan for 20. Abrar Ahmed later removed Iyer for 21.

Shivam Dube scored 27 off 15 balls to help India cross 150. Tilak Varma then accelerated the scoring with several boundaries and sixes.

Dube was dismissed by Ahmed Daniyal in the final over, but Varma continued his attack and helped India cross 200 runs.

Varma remained unbeaten on 51 off 22 balls, including three boundaries and four sixes, as India finished on 211-6.

For Pakistan, Ahmed Daniyal and Arafat Minhas took two wickets each, while Abrar Ahmed and Saim Ayub claimed one wicket apiece.