India beat Pakistan by 19 runs in the Asian Games gold medal match with Hasan Nawaz’s 96 in vain in reply at 211-6.
India beat fierce rivals Pakistan by 19 runs to win Asian Games cricket gold after a thrilling final in front of a small but raucous crowd in Nagoya, Japan.
World T20 champions India posted a 211-6 record in their 20 overs on Saturday, with Abhishek Sharma scoring 61 and Tilak Varma 51 not out, before Hasan Nawaz’s valiant 96 saw Pakistan fall to 192-6.
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The neighboring countries only meet in international tournaments and on neutral ground due to political tensions, and the captains refused the customary pre-match handshakes.
The medal ceremony was also significantly delayed before ICC President Jay Shah appeared first to present the medals, as announced twice on the official Asian Games broadcast.
However, only Indian players were awarded medals by Shah, son of Indian Home Minister Amit Shah and former BCCI secretary.
Bronze medalists Pakistan and Sri Lanka were presented with their medals by Asian Games officials.
As before the competition, no handshakes took place at the end of the match or during the medal ceremony.
No reason was given for the delay or apparent change in plans for the medal ceremony. Al Jazeera reached out to the Asian Games for comment.
The clash on a converted baseball field in Japan was new territory, even for these bitter enemies and their hundreds of millions of fans watching at home on television.
After India opted to bat, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi announced their intention with consecutive sixes in a second from Saad Masood that cost 24 runs.
But the 15-year-old batting sensation fell four balls later for 15.
His opening partner Abhishek reached his fifty from 20 balls to a massive ovation from the fans who had brought a touch of South Asian cricket fever to the Far East and the Korogi Park Athletic Stadium.
India were helped by some sloppy fielding from Pakistan which saw Abhishek fall twice.
He should have also been out on 46 when bowler Ahmed Daniyal’s throw missed both stumps and the wicketkeeper, with Abhishek stranded.
After scoring 61, Ishan Kishan fell for 20 as Pakistan’s bowlers began to regain control.
When captain Shreyas Iyer also departed soon after for the 21st over, India had returned to 133-5 in the 15th over.
But Tilak Varma hit four sixes and Shivam Dube (27) two more as the pair unleashed a late attack, putting on 62 in five overs for the sixth wicket as India passed 200.
The valiant Hasan almost turned the match around for Pakistan
Pakistan’s previous best score in T20 internationals, batting second, was 208-3 against Sri Lanka at Pallekele, and they are off to a good start in pursuit of their record run.
Sahibzada Farhan (10) and Maaz Sadaqat put on 33 for the first wicket in 3.4 overs.
When Sadaqat went for 23, it looked like they might fold easily.
Hasan had other ideas, and he began to pick up the pace and bounce off the pitch as he raced to a fifty off 28 balls with five sixes.
He was supported by Saim Ayub and their partnership rose to 87 before Dube struck.
He induced Ayub to take a fake shot, with Washington Sundar gratefully seizing the opportunity, running from square to leave Pakistan 126-4 at the start of the 15th over.
Hasan continued and Pakistan needed 52 off the last three overs when Sundar brought Abdul Samad to bat at long on.
At 168-5 with two overs remaining, India brought back Jasprit Bumrah and his over cost just 11 runs, leaving an improbable 33 off the final over, bowled by Dube.
Hasan reached 96 and fell on the last ball while attempting one last big shot.
His brilliant knock came off 51 deliveries, with seven sixes and five fours.
Sri Lanka won the bronze medal after beating Bangladesh by 63 runs in the third place playoff.
Cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan brought the two countries to the brink of war last year, with the acrimony also spilling over onto the cricket field.
It was India’s seventh consecutive victory over Pakistan in T20s and the fifth consecutive men’s match between the two bitter rivals where the players did not shake hands, either before or after the match.
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