Hasan Nawaz's 96 Not Enough as India Beat Pakistan to Retain Asian Games Gold

Hasan Nawaz produced a stunning 96 to give Pakistan hope of chasing down India's imposing total, but his extraordinary effort was not enough. India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs in the Asian Games cricket final to retain the gold medal for a second consecutive edition.

Batting first after winning the toss in Nishin, Aichi, India posted 211 for 5 in 20 overs. Pakistan fought back strongly through Nawaz but finished on 192 for 6.

Abhishek Sharma provided the foundation for India's huge total with a blistering 62 off 28 balls, including seven sixes. Tilak Varma then delivered a spectacular finish, remaining unbeaten on 51 from 22 balls, while Shivam Dube contributed 27.

India started aggressively. Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashed two sixes in the second over, while Abhishek also found the boundary as India collected 24 runs from the over.

Suryavanshi fell for 15, followed soon after by Sanju Samson, but Abhishek continued his assault. He reached his fifty from just 20 balls, marking his sixth T20 half-century inside the powerplay—more than any other player has achieved more than twice.

Abhishek was eventually dismissed in the eighth over, and India's scoring rate slowed considerably. Ishan Kishan made 20 and captain Shreyas Iyer scored 21. India managed only 28 runs between the 11th and 16th overs, making 200 look unlikely.

Tilak and Dube changed the momentum in the final four overs, however. Their late assault produced 69 runs and lifted India to 211.

Pakistan's chase began poorly. Captain Sahibzada Farhan made 10, Usman Khan fell cheaply and Sadaqat was dismissed before the end of the powerplay. Pakistan were 42 for 3 after seven overs.

Nawaz then transformed the contest.

After surviving a dropped chance off Abhishek Sharma, the 24-year-old exploded with a series of powerful sixes. He combined with Saim Ayub for an 87-run partnership from 48 balls, bringing Pakistan back into the contest.

Nawaz reached his fifty from 28 balls and kept the pressure on India's bowlers. Dube eventually broke the partnership by dismissing Saim for 29 from 22 balls, but Pakistan still had a chance with Nawaz at the crease.

The problem was a lack of support at the other end. Abdul Samad scored only nine from nine balls, while Sad Masood hit two late sixes without being able to change the outcome.

Nawaz entered the final over needing a big finish and still had a chance to complete a century. He struck one six but was dismissed from the final ball, ending a remarkable innings of 96 from 51 balls with seven sixes.

His effort prompted commentator Sanjay Manjrekar to describe him as batting like a “superhero”. But Pakistan needed more than one superhero to complete the chase.

Pakistan eventually finished on 192 for 6, 19 runs short of India's total. Axar Patel and Washington Sundar claimed two wickets each for India, while Dube also took two.

Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh by 63 runs to win the bronze medal.

India's victory over Pakistan in the final secured their second consecutive Asian Games cricket gold.