India beat Pakistan by 19 runs in Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, to win the Asian Games men’s cricket gold medal and retain the title. The final ended with the teams again refusing to shake hands. India made 211-6, its highest-ever T20 total against Pakistan, then restricted its rival to 192-6.
Cross-border tensions brought the two countries to the brink of war last year. Their strained relationship has spilled onto the cricket field, where Indian cricketers have avoided handshakes with Pakistan players at more than one tournament.
A final without handshakes
India captain Shreyas Iyer didn’t shake hands with Pakistan skipper Sahibzada Farhan at the toss. The players didn’t shake hands after the match, either. It marked the fifth consecutive men’s game between the rivals in which they skipped the customary exchange. ICC chairman Jay Shah attended the final.
Their conduct at the cricket final stood apart from other Asian Games events. In hockey, players from both countries embraced and shook hands after India beat Pakistan in the semifinal.
Recent cricket meetings have featured similar refusals. India beat Pakistan three times in the Asia Cup, including the final, but Suryakumar Yadav’s team refused to accept the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi and didn’t shake hands with Pakistan players in any of the three games. The Indian women’s team also didn’t shake hands with Pakistan at a continental championship match. When it won the women’s Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates, the team refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi.
Runs, missed chances and the finish
Abhishek Sharma scored 61, while Tilak Varma made 51 not out as India posted its total. Sharma reached a half-century in 20 balls, hitting seven sixes and three fours, before a stumping ended his 28-ball innings. Pakistan dropped him twice and missed a run-out chance before he completed his half-century.
Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 15 before attempting a reverse sweep against Saim Ayub. Wicketkeeper Usman Khan bobbled the ball twice, then completed the catch. Ayub followed with a “baby in the cradle” gesture toward Sooryavanshi.
Pakistan’s bowlers fought back in the middle overs. Arafat Minhas took 2-25, and Abrar Ahmed took 1-29. But Varma and Shivam Dube, who scored 27, added 57 runs in the final three overs. Varma hit 15 runs off Ahmed’s last four balls to reach his 21-ball half-century. He was caught in the outfield during that over.
Pakistan’s chase falls short
Pakistan lost ground in the powerplay against Jasprit Bumrah’s yorkers. Washington Sundar juggled the catch at deep fine leg before catching Maaz Sadaqat, leaving Pakistan at 39-3 in the seventh over.
Hasan Nawaz kept Pakistan in contention, scoring 96 runs off 51 balls, including seven sixes and five fours. India caught him behind off the final ball. Axar Patel and Sundar took two wickets each, while Dube also claimed two, including Nawaz’s wicket. That made it India’s seventh straight T20 win over Pakistan.