Asian Games 2026: India Opt to Bat Against Pakistan in Men’s Cricket Gold-Medal Clash

India’s Vaibhav Sooryavanshi plays a shot during the men’s T20 cricket semifinal against Sri Lanka at the 20th Asian Games in Nisshin, Japan. India face Pakistan in the gold-medal match on Saturday, October 3, 2026. Photo: PTI/Arun Sharma

Captain Shreyas Iyer wins toss in high-profile final at Nisshin; both teams retain their semifinal combinations

Key Highlights

• India win the toss and elect to bat first against Pakistan in the Asian Games men’s cricket final.
• Shreyas Iyer leads India in the gold-medal contest at Nisshin, Japan.
• India retain the same playing XI that registered a 124-run semifinal victory over Sri Lanka.
• Pakistan also enter the final with an unchanged side from their semifinal.
• The two captains did not shake hands at the toss, according to the match report.

Aichi-Nagoya: India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bat first against Pakistan in the men’s cricket gold-medal match at the 2026 Asian Games in Nisshin on Saturday.

The much-anticipated final brings the two South Asian rivals together with the Asian Games title at stake.

India have retained the playing XI that produced a commanding performance against Sri Lanka in the semifinal, winning the contest by 124 runs to advance to the gold-medal match.

Pakistan have also opted for continuity, naming the same combination that featured in their semifinal victory.

According to the match report, the two captains came out for the toss but did not shake hands before the start of the final.

With India choosing to set a target, attention now turns to the batting unit as the side seeks to convert its strong run through the tournament into a gold-medal finish.