By Tanzeel Ul Rehman | October 3, 2026
Our Pakistan vs India gold medal match prediction favours India, with a 70 percent chance of winning the Asian Games final. India have the stronger and more experienced XI, and they have won the last five T20Is between these two teams. Pakistan’s young side does have a real weapon on this turning pitch in Sufyan Moqim, and that is where an upset could come from. The final is scheduled for 2:00 PM Japan time on Saturday, October 3 at Kōrogi Sports Park, Nisshin, which is 10:00 AM in Pakistan and 10:30 AM in India. If rain washes it out, both teams share the gold.
This is the first time India and Pakistan have ever met at an Asian Games. Below are the records, squads, likely XIs, a Dream11 team and the details most previews skip. All results from the event are on our Asian Games 2026 cricket hub.
IND vs PAK Asian Games Final: Match Facts
| Match | Gold medal match, men’s cricket, Asian Games 2026 |
| Teams | Pakistan vs India |
| Date | Saturday, October 3, 2026 |
| Scheduled start | 2:00 PM Japan time |
| Venue | Kōrogi Sports Park, Nisshin, Aichi |
| Captains | Sahibzada Farhan (Pakistan), Shreyas Iyer (India) |
| Earlier the same day | Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, bronze medal match |
| If washed out | Both teams receive gold |
A note on timing: most listings show 2:00 PM local, but a few outlets have printed 1:30 PM. Check the official broadcast schedule before you set an alarm.
What Time Is the Pakistan vs India Final in Your Country?
| Country | Local start time |
|---|---|
| Japan | 2:00 PM |
| Bangladesh | 11:00 AM |
| India | 10:30 AM |
| Pakistan | 10:00 AM |
| UAE | 9:00 AM |
| UK | 6:00 AM |
| USA (Eastern) | 1:00 AM |
For once, fans in both countries get a sensible Saturday morning start, with no 5:00 AM alarm needed.
How Did Pakistan and India Reach the Gold Medal Match?
Here is the strangest fact of this tournament: both finalists have played exactly one completed match in Japan. Their quarter finals against Hong Kong and Afghanistan were washed out without a ball, and both went through on ranking.
Pakistan beat Bangladesh by six wickets in a semi final cut to 13 overs because of a wet outfield. Bangladesh made 111 for 7, with Sufyan Moqim taking 3 for 26 and Arafat Minhas 2 for 23. Pakistan then slipped to 53 for 4 before Abdul Samad (30 not out off 15) and Hasan Nawaz (27 not out) finished the chase with nine balls left. It was the first time Pakistan reached an Asian Games men’s cricket final. Our Pakistan vs Bangladesh semi final preview leaned towards Bangladesh, and Pakistan proved us wrong.
India beat Sri Lanka by 124 runs. India lost three early wickets but recovered to 169 for 7, built on Ishan Kishan’s 80 off 46 balls and a bright 38 off 21 from 15 year old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Sri Lanka were then bowled out for 45. Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets in his first over, and Axar Patel and Abhishek Sharma cleaned up the rest. You can read our India vs Sri Lanka semi final preview for the background on that game.
What does this tell us? India were tested early and still won by a huge margin. Pakistan were tested in the middle of the chase and found two finishers who did not panic. Both are useful signs, but India’s performance was far more complete.
Why Does a Washout Mean Two Gold Medals This Time?
This rule is new, and it changes how the final should be read. If the Pakistan vs India gold medal match is abandoned, both teams receive gold medals and no silver is awarded. The same applies to the bronze match.
At the last Asian Games in Hangzhou, it worked very differently. India’s final against Afghanistan was rained off, and India took gold alone because they were ranked higher. Afghanistan went home with silver without losing a game.
The good news is that the forecast for Saturday afternoon in Nisshin looks clear, with only a tiny chance of rain around the start time. After a week in which all four quarter finals were washed out, a full 40 overs looks likely for the first time in the knockouts.
Why should fans care about the rule if the sun is out? Because it removes any temptation for either team to play for the weather. In the earlier rounds, the higher ranked side knew a washout would help them. Here, both teams need to win on the field to get gold alone, so expect both captains to push for a result from the first ball.
Pakistan vs India T20I Head to Head and Records
| Record | Detail |
|---|---|
| T20Is played | 17 |
| India wins | 13, plus the 2007 bowl out after a tie |
| Pakistan wins | 3 |
| India’s winning run | 5 matches (T20 World Cup 2024, three at Asia Cup 2025, T20 World Cup 2026) |
| Last meeting | T20 World Cup, Colombo, February 2026, India won by 61 runs |
| Pakistan’s last win | Asia Cup Super Four, Dubai, September 2022 |
| India’s highest total in the fixture | 192 for 5, Ahmedabad, 2012 |
| Pakistan’s highest total in the fixture | 182 for 5, Dubai, 2022 |
| Asian Games meetings | None before today |
Top runs in history. Virat Kohli is the leading run scorer in India vs Pakistan T20Is, and his 82 not out at the MCG in 2022 is still the innings fans talk about most. He is retired from T20Is, though. Among players in Nisshin, Ishan Kishan has the best recent record after his 77 off 40 balls in Colombo in February. Sahibzada Farhan scored two fifties against India at the Asia Cup 2025, so Pakistan’s captain is the batter on his side with the most success in this fixture. Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma also played big innings against Pakistan in that Asia Cup.
Top wickets that matter today. Kuldeep Yadav did most of the damage in last year’s Asia Cup final, but he is not in this squad. For India, Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah have the most experience against Pakistan in the current group. For Pakistan, Abrar Ahmed and Sufyan Moqim are the bowlers most likely to trouble India.
The key point here: India’s five match winning streak was built mostly by their senior team against Pakistan’s senior team. This Pakistan side has very few of those players, which cuts both ways. They carry none of the scars, but also none of the experience.
What Is Pakistan’s Asian Games Record, and Why Does Gold Matter So Much?
Pakistan won bronze in men’s cricket in 2010 and finished fourth in 2023, losing the bronze match to Bangladesh off the last ball of a five over game. Reaching this final is already their best ever result in the event.
There is a bigger story too. Going into Saturday, all six of Pakistan’s medals at these Asian Games are bronze. A win in the final would be their first gold of the Games. For a team without Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan or Shaheen Shah Afridi, that would be a huge moment for young players like Hasan Nawaz, Abdul Samad and Moqim.
India come in as defending champions. They have 12 golds at these Games already, and they took cricket gold in 2023 without needing to finish the final. A win today would be their first Asian Games cricket gold earned with a completed final.
So the pressure is uneven. India are expected to win and have far more to lose in terms of reputation. Pakistan have the bigger prize to gain. In finals between these two sides, the team with less pressure has often played more freely.
Pakistan vs India Squads
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan (captain), Abdul Samad (vice captain), Saim Ayub, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Arafat Minhas, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Saad Masood, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Sufyan Moqim, Mohammad Wasim Jr
India: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Vipraj Nigam, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Full squads for every team are listed on our Asian Games 2026 schedule and squads page and on the ICC website.
Pakistan vs India Gold Medal Match Possible Playing 11
| Pakistan | India |
|---|---|
| Sahibzada Farhan (c) | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi |
| Saim Ayub | Abhishek Sharma |
| Usman Khan (wk) | Sanju Samson (wk) |
| Maaz Sadaqat | Shreyas Iyer (c) |
| Hasan Nawaz | Ishan Kishan |
| Abdul Samad | Tilak Varma |
| Arafat Minhas | Shivam Dube |
| Mohammad Wasim Jr | Axar Patel |
| Ahmed Daniyal | Washington Sundar |
| Abrar Ahmed | Ravi Bishnoi |
| Sufyan Moqim | Jasprit Bumrah |
India’s big call: Arshdeep Singh. India left Arshdeep out of the semi final and used Bumrah as the only specialist seamer, with spin doing the rest. On a pitch where the ball turns from early on, that plan worked perfectly. Expect the same XI, though Arshdeep could return if India want a second seamer to share Bumrah’s load.
Pakistan’s selection is more settled. Saim Ayub’s part time off spin, which cost just 3 runs in two overs against Bangladesh, gives them a sixth bowling option. Haider Ali could come in for Maaz Sadaqat if they want more experience in the middle order.
Which Matchups Will Decide the Pakistan vs India Gold Medal Match?
Sufyan Moqim vs India’s middle order. Moqim bowls left arm wrist spin, which is rare and hard to read. His stock ball turns away from left handed batters, and India’s top seven is full of them: Sooryavanshi, Abhishek, Kishan, Tilak and Dube. India have hammered finger spin for years, but a wrist spinner spinning the ball away from the bat on a cracked pitch is a very different test. If Moqim takes two wickets in the middle overs, Pakistan are in the game.
Jasprit Bumrah vs Sahibzada Farhan. Farhan is Pakistan’s most in form batter and likes to attack early. Bumrah’s first two overs against him could set the tone for the whole chase or defence. If Farhan survives that spell, he has the game to score quickly against India’s spinners.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma vs the new ball. Pakistan’s seam attack of Wasim Jr and Ahmed Daniyal is young. India’s openers will look to take 50 or more off the powerplay before the spinners come on. Pakistan’s best chance is to remove at least one of them inside the first three overs.
How Will the Kōrogi Sports Park Pitch Play in the Final?
The pitch has turned square from early in recent matches, and cracks have opened up. Spinners have taken most of the wickets, and seamers have struggled after the first few overs. The final will also be the second match on a worn surface after the morning bronze game. Expect a total of 140 to 150 to be competitive, and anything above 160 to be very hard to chase.
Should the Toss Winner Bat or Bowl First?
Our call: bat first. On this ground, teams batting first have won far more often, and second innings totals have been much lower. A worn pitch in the afternoon will only get harder to bat on.
India would be very happy to bat first with Axar, Bishnoi and Washington ready to defend. Pakistan’s best chance may also come from batting first, posting 150 and letting Abrar and Moqim attack India’s batters on a crumbling surface. The team that has to chase will need one batter to stay in until the 16th over. With clear skies forecast, there is no DLS reason to chase.
IND vs PAK Dream11 Team for the Gold Medal Match
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Wicketkeepers | Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson |
| Batters | Sahibzada Farhan, Abhishek Sharma, Abdul Samad |
| All rounders | Axar Patel, Saim Ayub, Washington Sundar |
| Bowlers | Jasprit Bumrah, Sufyan Moqim, Abrar Ahmed |
Split: India 6, Pakistan 5.
- Captain: Ishan Kishan. He scored 80 in the semi final and 77 against Pakistan in February. Nobody on either side is in better form against this opponent.
- Vice captain: Axar Patel. Four overs on a turning pitch plus useful lower order runs make him the safest multiplier.
- Grand league differential: Sufyan Moqim. Many users will skip him for bigger names, but he took three wickets in the semi final and suits this pitch perfectly.
- Small league alternative: Bumrah as captain, if you expect a low scoring game.
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Pakistan vs India Gold Medal Match Prediction: Who Wins Gold?
| Factor | Edge |
|---|---|
| Batting depth | India |
| Pace bowling | India (Bumrah) |
| Spin bowling | Close (Axar, Bishnoi, Washington against Abrar, Moqim) |
| Recent head to head | India, five wins in a row |
| Semi final performance | India |
| Pressure | Pakistan, who have less to lose |
| Washout | Even, shared gold |
Prediction: India 70 percent, Pakistan 30 percent.
Our Pakistan vs India gold medal match prediction backs India because they are stronger in nearly every area and have beaten Pakistan five times in a row. They also have a match winner in Bumrah who can end a game in two overs, as he showed against Sri Lanka.
Pakistan’s route to gold needs three things: Farhan batting through the powerplay, a total of 150 or more, and Moqim and Abrar taking early middle order wickets. On a turning pitch, that is far from impossible. This Pakistan side also showed against Bangladesh that its lower order can finish under pressure.
Where to Watch Pakistan vs India Live
In Pakistan, the final is on PTV Sports and PTV’s digital platforms. In India, it is on the Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV. In the UAE, it is on beIN Sports, and in the USA and Canada on Willow TV. For live scores, use ESPNcricinfo’s Asian Games series page. The full story of the last meeting is in ESPNcricinfo’s report on India’s 61 run win in Colombo.
Earlier in the day, the bronze medal is decided between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, covered in our Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka bronze medal preview.
Pakistan vs India Gold Medal Match FAQs
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Who will win the Pakistan vs India gold medal match?
India are favourites, with a 70 percent chance in our prediction. They have the stronger squad and five straight T20I wins over Pakistan. Pakistan’s spinners give them a real chance on a turning pitch.
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What time does the Pakistan vs India Asian Games final start?
It is scheduled for 2:00 PM Japan time on Saturday, October 3, 2026. That is 10:00 AM in Pakistan and 10:30 AM in India.
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What happens if rain washes out the Pakistan vs India gold medal match?
Both teams receive gold medals and no silver is awarded. This is a change from 2023, when India won gold alone on ranking after the final was washed out.
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What is the India vs Pakistan T20I head to head?
They have played 17 T20Is. India have won 13 plus a bowl out after a tie in 2007, and Pakistan have won 3. India have won the last five meetings.
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Have India and Pakistan met at the Asian Games before?
No. This is their first meeting at an Asian Games, and Pakistan’s first appearance in the men’s cricket final. India missed the 2010 and 2014 events, and the two sides were on opposite sides of the draw in 2023.
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Who scored the most runs in the last India vs Pakistan T20I?
Ishan Kishan scored 77 off 40 balls at the T20 World Cup in Colombo in February 2026, as India won by 61 runs.
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Is Arshdeep Singh playing in the final?
Arshdeep did not play the semi final, as India picked an extra batter and relied on spin. He may stay out unless India want a second seamer.
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Who is the best Dream11 captain for IND vs PAK?
Ishan Kishan is our top pick after scoring 80 in the semi final. Axar Patel is the best vice captain choice on a turning pitch.
The Last Word on Nisshin
A week ago, this tournament looked like it might be decided entirely by rain. Instead, it ends with the match everyone wanted: India and Pakistan, for gold, under clear skies. India have the better team, the better record and the best bowler in the match. Pakistan have a young side with nothing to fear, a left arm wrist spinner on a pitch made for him, and the chance to win their country’s first gold of these Games. Our money is on India, but watch the middle overs when Moqim comes on. That is when this final will either follow the script or tear it up.
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