Asian Games 2026 Day 13 Wrap: Nitesh Siwach Wins Silver, India Book Cricket And Hockey Gold Medal Matches

India enjoyed another eventful day at the Asian Games 2026 on October 1, combining a strong medal haul with two major breakthroughs in team sports. The men’s cricket and hockey teams both booked their places in the gold-medal matches, while Indian athletes also added medals in sailing, wrestling, squash and compound archery.

The day produced plenty of drama, particularly in the hockey semifinal against Pakistan, while the cricket team delivered a commanding performance against Sri Lanka. India also secured a medal in men’s sepaktakraw, ensuring that the podium action will continue in the final stages of the Games.

Cricket: India Storm Into Gold Medal Match

The Indian men’s cricket team produced one of the most dominant performances of the day, defeating Sri Lanka by 124 runs in the semifinal to set up a gold-medal clash against Pakistan. Batting first, India posted 169/7, with Ishan Kishan leading the charge with an unbeaten 80 off 46 balls. Teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also impressed on his Asian Games debut, scoring 38 from 21 deliveries.

The bowlers then made the chase a one-sided affair. Jasprit Bumrah struck twice in the opening over as Sri Lanka collapsed rapidly, with India eventually bowling them out for just 45 in 9.5 overs. Abhishek Sharma also claimed two wickets in only five deliveries as India completed a 124-run victory and moved into Saturday’s final against Pakistan.

Hockey: Abhishek’s Late Heroics Sink Pakistan

The men’s hockey semifinal provided a much tighter contest. India appeared to be cruising after taking a 3-0 lead against Pakistan, but their neighbours mounted a dramatic comeback to level the score and put the defending champions under serious pressure.

Harmanpreet Singh converted two penalty corners, while Sukhjeet Singh added another goal as India built their early advantage. Pakistan fought back to make it 3-3, setting up a tense finish. With just 49.2 seconds remaining, Abhishek found the decisive goal after his effort took a deflection off a Pakistan defender, sealing a thrilling 4-3 win for India.

India will now play the winner of the second semifinal between South Korea and Malaysia in the men’s hockey gold-medal match.

Wrestling and Sailing Add Silver Medals

Nitesh Siwach delivered a strong campaign in the men’s Greco-Roman 97kg category to claim silver. After impressive wins in the earlier rounds, he reached the final but was beaten 4-0 by Japan’s Yuri Nakazato. His silver nevertheless added another medal to India’s wrestling tally.

Sailing also provided India with a historic moment as Prince Kurisinkal Noble and Manu Francis secured silver in the men’s skiff event. The pair finished behind China after nine races, giving India its first sailing medal of the Games. India also picked up a bronze through Harshita Tomar and Shital Verma in the women’s skiff event.

Squash and Archery Bring More Podium Finishes

India’s men’s and women’s squash teams both ended their campaigns with bronze medals after semifinal defeats. The men’s side went down 1-2 to Malaysia, while the women suffered the same scoreline against Hong Kong, China. The results nevertheless ensured two more medals for the Indian contingent.

In compound archery, Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru added another bronze after defeating Vietnam’s Cong Duc Dang 149-144 in the medal bout. It was his second medal of the Games, having already been part of India’s gold-winning men’s compound team.

Mixed Results in Other Sports

There were also some disappointing results for India. The men’s volleyball team’s campaign ended after a quarterfinal defeat to Pakistan, while Sumit Nagal’s loss brought the country’s tennis campaign to a close without a medal. India also missed out on medals in some individual events despite several athletes making deep runs.

At the same time, India secured another medal opportunity in men’s sepaktakraw, with the quadrant team advancing to the semifinals. With cricket and hockey now through to their respective finals and several other medal events still to come, the final stretch of the Asian Games promises plenty more action for the Indian contingent.