Ishan Kishan’s unbeaten 80 helped India defeat Sri Lanka (Img: Visuals from the Match)
Nagoya-Aichi: India delivered a dominant all-round performance to storm into the Asian Games 2026 men’s T20 cricket final, defeating Sri Lanka by 124 runs in the semifinal on Thursday.
After posting 169/7 in 20 overs, India’s bowlers produced a sensational display to bowl Sri Lanka out for just 45 in 9.5 overs. The emphatic win booked India’s place in the gold medal match against arch-rivals Pakistan.
India did not have the smoothest start with the bat, but Ishan Kishan produced a crucial unbeaten 80 off 46 balls to take the team to a competitive total.
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also provided momentum at the top with a quick 38 off 21 deliveries. Kishan then took charge in the middle and death overs, striking boundaries and sixes to give India a strong finish.
His innings proved particularly important after several of India’s other batters failed to convert their starts. Kishan’s unbeaten knock helped India reach 169/7 and set Sri Lanka a target of 170.
The chase turned into a nightmare for Sri Lanka almost immediately. India’s bowlers kept taking wickets at regular intervals, leaving the opposition with no chance of building a partnership.
Sri Lanka eventually collapsed to 45 all out in just 9.5 overs, handing India a massive 124-run victory.
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With the semifinal victory, India have secured their place in the Asian Games cricket final. The defending champions will now meet Pakistan in the gold medal contest.
The India-Pakistan final adds another high-profile chapter to the Asian Games cricket tournament, with both teams now set to battle for the top prize.
