India to face Pakistan for Asian Games cricket gold

AFP | Nagoya

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World champions India will face arch-rivals Pakistan for Asian Games men’s cricket gold after both won their semi-finals with ease yesterday in Japan.

India hammered Sri Lanka by 124 runs after Pakistan beat Bangladesh by six wickets to set up a mouth-watering final on Saturday at the Korogi Athletic Park Stadium in Nagoya.

India posted a testing 169-7 on a sharply turning pitch after being asked to bat.

Sri Lanka lost two wickets without a run on the board and crumbled to 45 all out in less than 10 overs of chaos that included three run-outs.

It was Sri Lanka’s lowest total in a men’s T20 international, worse than the 77 they scored against South Africa in New York in 2024.

Sri Lanka opted to field and were given a taste of the power of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on his Asian Games debut.

The fearless teenager, who topped the IPL batting charts this year, smoked a whirlwind 38 off 21 balls with six fours and two enormous sixes before falling to a thick edge caught at backward point.

“He is an amazing talent,” said Sri Lankan coach Ashan Priyanjan.

Ishan Kishan was India’s mainstay with a crafted 80 not out, including five sixes.

When Sri Lanka batted, pace bowling great Jasprit Bumrah ripped out two wickets in his first over. They were 18-5 by the end of the fourth over, with spinner Axar Patel taking two of the wickets.