India and Pakistan will renew their storied rivalry when they meet in the men’s cricket gold medal match at the Asian Games 2026 in Nisshin on Saturday, October 4.
The men’s cricket event at this tournament has been severely affected by rain, with all four quarterfinals getting washed out and the semifinal between Pakistan and Bangladesh getting reduced to 13 overs per side.
There will thus be concern that rain could play spoilsport in Saturday’s final. Indeed, when India won gold in 2023, it did so after its final against Afghanistan was rained off.
However, a tweak in the rules means that if the final is washed out this time around, the gold medal will be shared between both finalists i.e. India and Pakistan.
India is seeking to complete a double in cricket, having already won the women’s cricket event after thrashing Sri Lanka in the final.
Published on Oct 02, 2026