India thrash Sri Lanka to set up Asian Games cricket final with Pakistan

India stormed into the Asian Games 2026 men's cricket final with a crushing semi-final win over Sri Lanka in Nisshin, Japan, on 1 October 2026. Batting first, India posted 169 for 7 before their bowlers tore through Sri Lanka, bowling them out for just 45 runs in 9.5 overs. The margin of victory was one of the most lopsided in a major Asian Games cricket knockout and underlined India's status as tournament favourites in the T20 format being used at the Games. The result set up a hotly anticipated final against Pakistan on 3 October, raising the prospect of a continental title decided by the sport's biggest rivalry. The story was one of the most-read cricket articles of the day on Indian and Asian sports outlets.