India defeated Sri Lanka by 124 runs in the semifinal to secure a place in the Asian Games men's cricket final against Pakistan. This match will mark the first time the two teams meet in the Asian Games.
In the semifinal held at Korogi Athletic Park, India set a target of 170 runs and dismissed Sri Lanka for 45 runs in 9.5 overs. Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets early in the innings, and Sri Lanka struggled with multiple run-outs. Abhishek Sharma also contributed with impressive bowling figures of 2-2 from five balls.
Ishan Kishan was the standout performer for India with an unbeaten 80 runs off 46 balls, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added 38 runs.
In the other semifinal, Pakistan achieved a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a match reduced to 13 overs due to rain. Abdul Samad scored an unbeaten 30 runs, and Sufyan Moqim took three wickets for Pakistan.
All four semifinalists qualified based on their international rankings, as their quarterfinal matches were abandoned due to rain. India aims to win back-to-back titles after their gold medal win in Hangzhou three years ago.
The upcoming final has drawn attention due to past political tensions between India and Pakistan, raising questions about whether players will engage in customary handshakes. Previous encounters have seen players from both sides avoid handshakes, particularly during the Asia Cup and ICC Women’s World Cup matches.