Asian Games final, Nagoya, Japan
India 211-6 (20 overs): Abhishek 61 (28), Tilak 51* (22)
Pakistan 192-6 (20 overs): Nawaz 96 (51); Axar 2-29
India won by 19 runs
Blistering half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma set India on their way to victory as they beat fierce rivals Pakistan by 19 runs to win gold at the Asian Games.
Having opted to bat first in Nagoya, India racked up a commanding 211-6 with Abhishek smashing seven sixes as he made 61 from 28 balls at the top of the order.
A stunning start helped the defending champions reach 81-2 at the end of the powerplay as Abhishek dominated the bowling before falling in the eighth over.
But the runs kept coming and Tilak’s unbeaten 51 from 22, which featured three fours and four sixes, kept the momentum going until the end of innings.
Pakistan were soon in trouble in the chase, slipping to 39-3 and, despite a superb knock of 96 from Hasan Nawaz, they came up well short.
Nawaz bludgeoned seven maximums in a defiant innings but was left playing a lone hand and fell to the last ball of the match as Pakistan finished on 192-6.
The wickets were shared among the India bowlers with spinners Axar Patel and Washington Sundar both taking 2-29, while all-rounder Shivam Dube took 2-33.
After coming out on top four years ago in Hangzhou, China in their debut in the men’s competition, India have now secured back-to-back golds.
