New Delhi, Oct 2026 : International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Jay Shah on Saturday congratulated the Indian men’s T20 cricket team after it defeated Pakistan by 19 runs to win the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 in Nisshin, Japan.
Shah also praised the Olympic Council of Asia, participating teams and Japan Cricket for their role in organising the cricket competition. In a post on X, he said Nagoya and Japan had added a new chapter to cricket’s history and congratulated Team India on a campaign worthy of the occasion.
He also thanked the competing nations, organisers and fans whose support, he said, highlighted the global appeal of cricket.
Shah was present at the medal ceremony, where India received the gold, Pakistan took silver and Sri Lanka secured the bronze medal.
India produced a commanding performance in the final at Karogi Sports Park, posting 211/6 in 20 overs before restricting Pakistan to 192/6.
Abhishek Sharma provided India with a flying start, smashing 61 off just 28 deliveries. His innings included three fours and seven sixes, while he also registered the fastest fifty by an Indian against Pakistan in T20 internationals, reaching the landmark in only 20 balls.
Tilak Varma then delivered a powerful finish, remaining unbeaten on 51 off 22 balls. His late assault, alongside Shivam Dube, helped India cross the 200-run mark and put Pakistan under significant pressure.
Pakistan, however, refused to surrender easily. Hasan Nawaz produced a sensational counter-attacking innings, scoring 96 from 51 deliveries and keeping his team in contention deep into the chase.
India’s bowlers maintained their composure during a tense finish. Washington Sundar and Axar Patel made important contributions with the ball, while Dube played a decisive role in the closing stages.
The match ended dramatically when Dube dismissed Nawaz with the final delivery, bringing Pakistan’s innings to 192/6 and sparking celebrations among the Indian players.
The victory marked India’s second consecutive Asian Games gold medal in men’s cricket and capped an impressive campaign in Japan.
India’s women’s cricket team had earlier also secured gold at the Games, defeating Sri Lanka in the final. The two titles gave India a clean sweep of the cricket gold medals at the Asian Games 2026.
Shah’s presence at the medal ceremony added to the occasion as India celebrated another successful outing in the shortest format at the continental multi-sport event.
