India claimed back-to-back Asian Games gold medals by defeating Pakistan in T20 cricket, though their ODI campaign fell just short of a 3-0 sweep over West Indies, as Shai Hope’s unbeaten 162 powered the tourists to a successful chase of 352.
In the Asian Games final in Japan, India posted 211-6 from their 20 overs, backed by Abhishek Sharma’s aggressive 61 off 28 balls, Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 51 from 22 and Shivam Dube’s swift 27 off 15.
Pakistan collapsed to 39-3 in reply, and although Hasan Nawaz top-scored with 96 off 51 balls, they could only reach 192-6, losing by 19 runs.
Abhishek hit seven sixes and three fours in his 28-ball 61
The victory marked India’s seventh successive T20I win against Pakistan, extending their head-to-head record to 14 wins from 18 matches in the format.
Hope’s Tireless Century Sinks India’s ODI Sweep
In New Chandigarh, however, India’s 351-7 was eclipsed by West Indies with 10 balls to spare. Captain Hope claimed his 21st ODI hundred, his second in consecutive matches, to seal a five-wicket victory.
His 143-ball innings featured 17 fours and three sixes. His final six, a slog sweep over deep fine leg off spinner Naman Dhir, levelled the scores before he drove the match-clinching single to long-off.
Rutherford’s dismissal left West Indies 206-3 after 30 overs. Hope, who kept wickets for 50 overs before opening the innings, shared half-century stands with Keemo Paul (44) and Gudakesh Motie (19), after earlier putting on 109 with Amir Jangoo (67).
India’s total, assembled after they tumbled to 4-2, relied on KL Rahul’s unbeaten 129 off 87 balls, along with Rohit Sharma’s 92 from 85 and Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 57 off 69.
Jayden Seales dismissed Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli from successive deliveries in New Chandigarh
A controversial incident occurred when Sherfane Rutherford was given out caught behind off Dhir for 24. The on-field call was upheld after a review, despite the West Indies batter insisting Snicko registered a bat-on-pad contact rather than bat-on-ball.
Shubman Gill (1) – who had hit an unbeaten 223 in the second ODI to chase down 406 and take an unassailable 2-0 lead – and Virat Kohli (0) fell to successive balls from Jayden Seales in the third over.
Kohli was bowled for a golden duck as Seales flattened his middle stump, moments after Gill had edged behind and been dismissed by a one-handed diving catch from Hope.
India and West Indies to Clash in T20 Series
The teams will now meet in a five-match T20 series starting in Lucknow on Tuesday. Abhishek, Tilak, Shreyas Iyer and 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are among the players travelling for the series following their Asian Games success.
Cricket has been part of the Asian Games at every edition since 2010, excluding the 2018 event in Indonesia, with India securing gold on their 2022 debut in China before repeating the feat in Japan this year.
The next Asian Games is scheduled to be held in Qatar in November 2030.
