India vs Pakistan again, but this time Asian Games gold is at stake on a tricky track
The ICC had just finished unveiling the schedule for next year's ODI World Cup in South Africa when the India-Pakistan rivalry surfaced again, this time in an unexpected setting. Less than 48 hours later, the two sides meet with an Asian Games gold medal on the line. They face off at Korogi Park on Saturday morning in the first men's cricket meeting between the neighbours at the Games.
It has been a soggy tournament. Rain has washed out several matches and shortened others, and the standard of cricket has been modest as a result. An India-Pakistan final needs no such help. A gold medal and a familiar rivalry supply all the incentives both dressing rooms require.
India have sent 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 are considerably younger, led by Sahibzada Farhan and built around Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz, Abdul Samad and Arafat Minhas.THE RIVALRY RETURNS
Anyone who has followed this fixture for a while will tell you that cricket is only half the story these days, and the backdrop is hard to ignore. The two teams have not shaken hands since last year's Asia Cup, and the same pattern has been seen in volleyball, table tennis, and hockey.
There will also be one notable absence from the stands. Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi will not attend the gold-medal contest.
“ACC President, Mr. Mohsin Naqvi, will miss Finals Day at Asian Games 2026 due to prior commitments, but sends his very 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 Pakistan's Interior Minister. The Indian men's and women's teams refused to accept their Asia Cup trophies from him last year following the controversy surrounding the presentation ceremony.
His absence means that particular subplot will stay away from the podium on Saturday.
On the field, the two finalists took very different roads to get here. India were ruthless against Sri Lanka, bowling them out for 45 in the semi-final. Pakistan's chase against Bangladesh was a far messier affair. Their batters kept surrendering wickets in a shortened pursuit until Abdul Samad's 30 off 15 balls dragged them over the line.
The head-to-head tells its own story. India have won the last six T20Is against Pakistan and lead the overall record 14-3. Pakistan's last win came in 2022, and when the teams last met, in the group stage of this year's T20 World Cup in Colombo, Ishan Kishan's 77 steered India home.
In ODIs, Pakistan's last win over India came at the 2017 Champions Trophy. That format carries far more history, but the T20 version of this rivalry has been heavily one-sided in recent years.
India's last five completed matches read WWWWW. Pakistan's read WLWWW.THE TRICKY PITCH
If there is a way back for Pakistan, it runs through the surface. The pitch at Korogi Park has not been easy to bat on. Underlying moisture, bright sunshine, uneven bounce and turn have all featured during the tournament, and the semi-finals reminded batters 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 pace threat and, unlike most bowlers in this contest, 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 bowl spin. Between the two sides, around 16 overs of spin could be bowled, and that phase may well decide the match.
The forecast, at least, is encouraging after all the disruption. One has the chance of rain at 1 per cent, another around 10 per cent with some cloud. Temperatures should range from 16 to 27 degrees Celsius, with a maximum near 25.PRESSURE ON T20 WORLD CHAMPIONS?
T20 World Champions India have taken this tournament seriously. Bumrah is in Japan, and several established T20 names have been handed the job of winning the title.
For interim head coach VVS Laxman and captain Shreyas Iyer, India are expected to win, and a gold medal against this Pakistan side is unlikely to earn them much praise. Losing would be a very different matter. There is not much to gain here and a lot to lose.
Pakistan's young side, though, has players who can make India work, and Farhan is the obvious one. He scored 57, 58 and 40 against India in last year's T20 Asia Cup. Pakistan lost all three games, but his runs gave them 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, though his nine sixes against India are the most by a Pakistan batter in T20Is.
He has even featured in an advertorial documentary about what it felt 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 Pakistan's clear batting threat. For India, Sanju Samson will be looking for a better outing after making 7 in the semi-final against Sri Lanka, where he was bowled while backing away.
He has also struggled to score quickly against Pakistan, with a T20I strike rate below 100, though that comes from only two innings, both in the same Asia Cup. He batted in the middle order in that tournament before moving to No. 3 in the semi-final, and another turn at No. 3 is possible on Saturday.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will draw plenty of eyes. The 15-year-old came into the XI for the semi-final, with Abhishek Sharma expected to partner him at the top. Iyer, Kishan and Tilak Varma provide experience in the middle order, and Shivam Dube adds another power-hitting option.
Pakistan need more from Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz and Abdul Samad. Samad's late hitting was decisive against Bangladesh, but the rest of the order must avoid the repeated errors that put them in trouble in that chase.advertisementIND vs PAK: SPIN BATTLEBoth sides have built their attacks around the conditions, but Pakistan's decision to field four spinners makes this particularly intriguing. 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 choice.
The surface could dictate how the middle overs unfold. Batters who attack the spinners well can change a game quickly, but wickets in that period could leave either side under pressure.
If the ball turns sharply, India's deeper batting line-up could become important. Pakistan, for their part, need Abrar and Sufyan to make the most of the conditions.IND vs PAK: TEAM NEWS
India left out Arshdeep Singh in the semi-final and used Bumrah as the only frontline seamer, which means Arshdeep has not bowled in the tournament.
With Bumrah already carrying the pace-bowling load, the management could bring Arshdeep back for the final. The alternative is to stick with the combination that beat Sri Lanka and keep the extra spin option.
Pakistan are expected to retain their four-spin combination because of the conditions.
PAKISTAN'S PREDICTED XI: Sahibzada Farhan (capt), Maaz Sadaqat, Usman Khan (wk), Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz, Abdul Samad, Arafat Minhas, Ahmed Daniyal, Mohammad Wasim, Sufyan Moqim, Abrar AhmedWHAT HAPPENS IF RAIN WASHES OUT FINAL?
Rain has already settled 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 was washed out because they were the better-ranked team.
Aichi-Nagoya 2026 has different rules. If the India-Pakistan final is abandoned or washed out due to rian, a Super Over will be played to decide the winner. If the Super Over itself cannot be completed, the teams will share the gold medal.WHERE TO WATCH INDIA vs PAKISTAN MEN'S CRICKET FINAL?
The India v Pakistan Asian Games men's cricket final will be streamed live on Sony LIV in India. The match will be telecast on Sony Sports 1, with regional-language coverage on Sony Sports 3 in Hindi and Sony Sports 4 in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.- Ends
Saurabh Kumar is an Assistant Editor at India Today Digital Group. A football fan who lives the game in its true spirit and an epicure who travels only to eat. Cricket used to be his first love, but he retired as a cricket fan the day Sourav Ganguly bid adieu as a player. He bleeds red for Manchester United, blue for the Indian National Cricket Team, and is a diehard Deutsche Fußballnationalmannschaft fan.
