IND Vs SL Highlights, Asian Games Semi-Final: India To Face Pakistan In Final; Men In Blue Ensure Medal With Victory

Hello and welcome to another exciting day of the Asian Games 2026! The men's cricket semifinal brings plenty of action for India, with Abhishek Sharma and Shreyas Iyer in form and a chance of ensuring the medal around the corner. Stay tuned as we bring you all the LIVE updates, results and developments from Nisshin. Let’s get started!

India heads into the men’s cricket semifinals of the Asian Games as overwhelming favorites to defend their crown, fielding a full-strength T20I squad against a second-string Sri Lankan side led by Sahan Arachchige. While Sri Lanka enters the clash as distinct underdogs reminiscent of their 2023 Asiad setup, they can draw quiet confidence from Japan's recent scare against India in Sano. Team India has experienced its share of turbulence under Shreyas Iyer's captaincy—experiencing early series setbacks before bouncing back with dominant sweeps over Zimbabwe and Afghanistan—and while they narrowly avoided a stunning upset on Japanese soil, that early scare uniquely equipped them with vital match practice in unfamiliar conditions that none of the other semifinalists possess.

Persistent rain at Korogi Sports Park has wreaked havoc on the men's cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games, washing out six matches—including all four quarterfinals—and sending top-ranked teams India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka straight into the semifinals. With the semifinals scheduled for October 1 and the medal matches on October 3, the organizing committee has introduced a major rule change: abandoning the traditional silver-medal runner-up finish, meaning that if the final or bronze playoff is completely washed out without reserve days, the affected finalists will jointly share the gold or bronze medals, potentially handing Pakistan its first-ever men's cricket gold if weather disrupts the ultimate showdown.

Fans across India looking to catch the high-voltage men's cricket semifinal between India and Sri Lanka at the Asian Games can watch the live telecast on the Sony Sports Network, with television coverage available across channels like Sony Sports Ten 1 and Sony Sports Ten 5, alongside Hindi commentary on Sony Sports Ten 3. For those preferring to stream the action digitally, live coverage will be accessible on the SonyLIV app and website, ensuring supporters don't miss a single ball of this crucial subcontinental showdown.

India pulled off a record-breaking heist in Guwahati, defeating the West Indies by eight wickets in a high-scoring thriller to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. Asked to chase a mammoth target of 406 after centuries from Amir Jangoo, Shai Hope, and John Campbell propelled the visitors to a record 405/7, the Men in Blue made a mockery of the target. Captain Shubman Gill played an iconic, history-making knock of 223 not out off 133 balls—registering the fastest double century in ODI history—while Rohit Sharma smashed a blazing 101 to power India to their highest-ever successful ODI chase with 39 balls to spare.

Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah

Lasith Croospulle, Sineth Jayawardena, Sohan de Livera(w), Ashen Bandara, Sahan Arachchige(c), Nuwanidu Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Wanuja Sahan, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Tharindu Ratnayake, Binura Fernando

If India win this semi-final against Sri Lanka, they will face arch-rivals Pakistan in the grand finale.

Pakistan have become the first team to reach the men's cricket final at the Asian Games after coming through the other semi-final against Bangladesh.

Their victory means the gold-medal match now has one confirmed participant, with India and Sri Lanka left to contest the second spot. For India, that adds another layer to the semi-final: a win would not only secure a medal but set up a final against Pakistan, giving the Asian Games tournament a potentially high-profile India-Pakistan finish.

Pakistan, meanwhile, can now watch the second semi-final knowing their campaign has already reached the gold-medal match. The final is scheduled for October 3.

After being rested for the one-off T20I against Japan, Bumrah has been brought back to the mix. However, Arshdeep has been dropped to accomodate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. That's a big move, isn't it? Becasue that leaves India with just 2 pacers and 3 full-time spinners.

India's campaign to defend their Asian Games cricket gold medal enters its decisive phase as they take on Sri Lanka in the second semi-final at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin. India won the men's cricket gold at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, where the final against Afghanistan was washed out. This time, Shreyas Iyer's side have again reached the last four, but their route has been unusual. India's quarter-final against Afghanistan was abandoned without a result because of rain, with India progressing as the higher-seeded team. That means today's semi-final is only India's second competitive game of the tournament, making the transition into a knockout match particularly significant.

Sri Lanka reached the semi-finals without completing their quarter-final. Their last-eight meeting with Nepal at Korogi Sports Park was abandoned because of persistent rain, with Sri Lanka advancing as the higher-seeded side. They now face an India team that has arrived with a full-strength T20I squad. Sri Lanka's 15-member Asian Games squad is led by Sahan Arachchige, with Niroshan Dickwella named as wicketkeeper. The squad also includes experienced names such as Chamika Karunaratne and Nuwan Thushara, alongside players looking to establish themselves at international level. For Sri Lanka, the challenge is to turn an interrupted campaign into a genuine push for a place in the gold-medal match.

Shreyas Iyer enters this semi-final as India's captain, with the responsibility of taking a star-studded squad into a major knockout match. Shreyas Iyer's leadership has been part of India's T20 cricket transition and the Asian Games provides another competitive setting for him to shape the side. India's squad contains several players with substantial international experience but the unusual tournament conditions mean conventional preparation has been difficult. India have not had the opportunity to build momentum through a sequence of completed matches in Japan. For Shreyas Iyer, that makes the early stages of the semi-final particularly important.

India's explosive start suffered an early blow when opener Abhishek Sharma sliced a delivery straight to third man off Sahan Arachchige. The dismissal sent the batter packing for 7 off just 3 balls, giving Sri Lanka an early breakthrough.

Sahan Arachchige kept the pressure on young debutant Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, coming round the wicket to drift one into the left-hander. Vaibhav attempted to flick it away to the leg side but missed, getting struck high on the pads as the bowler successfully strangled any room for runs.

Sanju Samson fell victim to a sharp arm ball from Tharindu Ratnayake after playing completely for the turn. The delivery skidded straight through to knock over the stumps, sending the wicketkeeper-batter back for 7 off 9 balls and leaving India in early trouble.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi struck back-to-back boundaries off Binura Fernando, displaying his trademark fearless strokeplay. After timing a low full toss past mid-off, the 15-year-old sensation flat-batted a short-of-a-length delivery clean over the same region for his second consecutive four.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ramped up the aggression against Tharindu Ratnayake, pulling off a deft reverse-sweep over third man for four before launching a massive six into deep mid-wicket. The 15-year-old phenom capped off the explosive sequence by carving another boundary to deep extra cover, firmly stamping his class on the international stage.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's scintillating debut knock was cut short when he sliced an expansive drive straight to the point fielder off Sahan Arachchige. The 15-year-old prodigy departed for a blistering 38 off 21 balls, leaving India's top order wobbling after another breakthrough by the Sri Lankan captain.

Ishan Kishan capitalized on a juicy half-volley outside off from V Viyaskanth, launching the ball majestically over the bowler's head. The clean strike sailed all the way for a maximum, injecting much-needed momentum into India's innings.

Shreyas Iyer was left completely flabbergasted by a stunning delivery from Wanuja Sahan that drifted in and gripped away sharply after pitching. The Indian captain attempted to turn it to the leg side, but the ball bypassed his outside edge to violently shatter the off stump, sending him packing for 13.

Axar Patel perished after miscued high shot across the turn off Croospulle, offering a straightforward catch to Sahan Arachchige at point. The all-rounder's painstaking knock ended at 8 off 13 balls, deepening India's troubles in the middle order.

Tilak Varma was sent packing via a sharp stumping off Nuwanidu Fernando after being drawn out of his crease in defense. The ball ripped past his outside edge, and wicketkeeper Sohan de Livera was lightning-fast to whip off the bails, with replays confirming the left-hander's back foot was stranded on the line.

Ishan Kishan received a massive reprieve when he was dropped after being completely undone in the flight by Nuwanidu Fernando. Charging down the pitch, Kishan skewed his shot high and back over the bowler's head, where converging fielders lost sight of it in the air before it popped out of their hands.

India posted a competitive total on a tricky, two-paced surface riddled with cracks that offered sharp turn and variable bounce to the spinners. While several batters got starts, only 15-year-old debutant Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (38 off 21) and a resolute Ishan Kishan—who rode his luck to anchor the innings with an unbeaten 80—truly made it count. Sri Lanka capitalized on the conditions by deploying 17 overs of spin, led by Sahan Arachchige and Lasith Croospulle, but India's mix of world-class spin options and Jasprit Bumrah sets the stage for a gripping defence.

Jasprit Bumrah struck a crucial early blow for India, trapping Sineth Jayawardena plumb in front with a sharp nip-backer. The Sri Lankan batter paid the price for staying deep in the crease and trying to slog across the line, departing for a duck as the umpire had no hesitation in raising the finger.

Sri Lanka's disastrous start deepened further when Lasith Croospulle was run out for a diamond duck without facing a ball following sharp fielding by Ravi Bishnoi. After Nuwanidu Fernando tapped the ball softly toward backward point and called for a quick single, Bishnoi swooped in, collected it one-handedly, and fired in a direct hit at the striker's end to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 3 for 3.

Axar Patel twisted the knife further into Sri Lanka's crumbling chase by removing opposition captain Sahan Arachchige. Attempting a sweep against a tossed-up delivery outside leg, Arachchige miscued it off the toe of the bat straight to debutant Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who safely pouched the catch running back at short fine leg to leave the batting side sinking deeper into trouble.

Axar Patel capitalized on extra bounce to dismiss Ashen Bandara, reducing Sri Lanka to absolute tatters at the halfway stage. Attempting a massive slog-sweep against a tossed-up delivery, Bandara could only manage a towering top-edge that settled safely into the hands of Washington Sundar at deep mid-wicket.

Nuwanidu Fernando's promising knock was cut short in disastrous fashion as a mix-up with his partner left him stranded midway down the pitch. After pushing the ball toward backward point and setting off for a single, Fernando was left hanging when Chamika Karunaratne balked, allowing Axar Patel to fire in a throw to Sanju Samson to easily whip off the bails and sink Sri Lanka further into chaos.

Wanuja Sahan's brief resistance ended in bizarre fashion when he reverse-swept a flighted delivery straight to first slip. Washington Sundar extracted extra bounce that caught Sahan's glove on the attempted shot, allowing Abhishek Sharma to comfortably pouch the simple catch to leave Sri Lanka teetering further.

Abhishek Sharma spun a web of utter chaos to wrap up the innings in a flash, sealing India’s spot in the gold-medal match. The collapse began when confusion in the middle led to Tharindu Ratnayake being run out by a direct hit from Tilak Varma after a botched single. Abhishek then struck with the very next ball, bamboozling Chamika Karunaratne with sharp turn and smart glovework from Sanju Samson that produced a lightning-fast stumping. Fittingly, Abhishek delivered the final blow on the following delivery, sliding one through Binura Fernando's defenses to castle the leg stump and cap off a dominant victory.

India turned in a display of sheer bowling and fielding masterclass to crush Sri Lanka by 124 runs and storm into the gold-medal match. After Ishan Kishan's gritty, unbeaten 80 propelled India to a well-above-par 169 on a tricky, misbehaving pitch, Jasprit Bumrah blew the game wide open with two wickets in a fiery opening over. Sri Lanka's reckless approach against India's spin attack proved disastrous as Axar Patel and Abhishek Sharma claimed two scalps apiece, while Washington Sundar chipped in with another. Skittled out for a paltry 45 in under ten overs, the hapless Lankans had no answer to the onslaught, setting up a high-stakes gold-medal showdown between India and Pakistan, while Sri Lanka are left to battle Bangladesh for the bronze.