India secured a place in the 2026 Asian Games men’s cricket final following a 124-run victory over Sri Lanka in Nisshin, Japan. In the second semi-final held at Korogi Athletic Park on Thursday, Sri Lanka was dismissed for 45 runs in 9.5 overs—the lowest-ever T20I total for the nation and the joint-lowest by any Full Member in the format’s history.
India’s total of 169 for 7 was led by Ishan Kishan, who finished unbeaten on 80 from 46 deliveries. His performance established a new record for the highest T20I score by an Indian batter at No. 5 or lower, surpassing a mark set by Manish Pandey eight years ago.
The match also marked the multi-sport debut of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The opener scored 38 off 21 balls, with 36 of those runs coming from boundaries, including six fours and two sixes. Despite a sluggish pitch where the ball gripped and jumped, Sooryavanshi provided an early scoring burst for the Indian side.
India’s bowling attack utilized a spin-heavy strategy, with Jasprit Bumrah serving as the only specialist fast bowler. Spinners Axar Patel, Abhishek Sharma, and Washington Sundar exploited the surface conditions to dismantle the Sri Lankan lineup, which included three debutants. This 124-run margin represents the 11th time India has won a T20I by 100 or more runs.
Reflecting on the pitch conditions, Kishan noted the difficulty of the surface. “It’s very tricky. We know the conditions are not going to be so easy (in the final), especially as they are also a spinner-friendly team,” Kishan said.
India will face Pakistan in the gold medal match on Saturday, October 3, 2026. Pakistan advanced to the final after a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the first semi-final. The final is scheduled to start at 10:00 AM IST.
