India vs Pakistan Asian Games 2026 Final Today: Match Time, Live Streaming, Squads and Gold Medal Rules

India and Pakistan are ready for one of the biggest cricket matches of the Asian Games 2026, with the two rivals meeting today, October 3, in the men’s cricket gold medal final in Japan.

The match will be played at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture, with play scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM IST or 1:30 PM local time in Japan. The toss is scheduled approximately 30 minutes before the start.

India enter the final as the defending Asian Games men’s cricket champions, while Pakistan are chasing their first men’s cricket gold medal at the Games.

The match has additional significance because it is an India-Pakistan final with an Asian Games gold medal directly at stake, giving today’s contest much more than the usual rivalry.

India vs Pakistan Final: Match Details

Detail	Information
Match	India vs Pakistan
Tournament	Asian Games 2026 Men’s Cricket
Stage	Gold Medal Final
Date	October 3, 2026
Start Time	10:00 AM IST
Local Time	1:30 PM Japan
Toss	Around 9:30 AM IST
Venue	Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin
Format	T20
India TV	Sony Sports Network
India Streaming	SonyLIV

Indian Express confirms that television coverage in India is available through Sony Sports channels, while online streaming is available through SonyLIV with the applicable subscription.

How India Reached the Gold Medal Final

India’s path to the final was unusual because weather affected the earlier stages of the tournament.

India’s quarter-final against Afghanistan was abandoned because of rain. India advanced to the semi-final because of their higher seeding.

The semi-final finally gave India an opportunity to make their case on the field.

Facing Sri Lanka, India produced a dominant performance and won by 124 runs.

One of the biggest performances came from Ishan Kishan, who scored an unbeaten 80 from 46 balls. India then dismissed Sri Lanka for only 45 runs.

That victory booked India’s place in today’s gold-medal match.

How Pakistan Reached the Final

Pakistan’s route was similar.

Their quarter-final against Hong Kong, China was also abandoned, allowing Pakistan to advance based on their higher seeding.

Pakistan then faced Bangladesh in a rain-affected semi-final.

The match was reduced to 13 overs because of the wet conditions.

Bangladesh made 111/7, before Pakistan completed the chase in 11.3 overs to win by six wickets.

Abdul Samad played an important role with an unbeaten 30 from 15 balls, while Hasan Nawaz remained unbeaten on 27.

That victory created the India-Pakistan final many cricket fans had been waiting for.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Could Be One of the Biggest Players to Watch

One of India’s most closely watched players today will be 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

The young left-handed batter has already produced several major performances during 2026.

In India’s semi-final against Sri Lanka, he scored 38 and attacked the spin bowling aggressively.

Pakistan could test him with spin early in the innings.

Indian Express notes that Sooryavanshi has been dismissed by off-spin three times in his international career, although the sample remains small. Pakistan have several spin options who could potentially be used against him.

That tactical battle could become one of the most interesting parts of today’s final.

Ishan Kishan Enters the Final in Form

Pakistan will also have to deal with Ishan Kishan.

Kishan’s unbeaten 80 was the standout batting performance in India’s semi-final victory.

His innings included five sixes and helped India establish a total Sri Lanka never came close to chasing.

India also have considerable batting depth around players including Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, captain Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube.

That gives India several different attacking options rather than making the batting order dependent on a single player.

Pakistan’s Spin Attack Could Be Crucial

Conditions at Nisshin have given spinners an important role during the competition.

Pakistan have multiple options available, including Sufyan Moqim, Arafat Minhas, Saim Ayub and Abrar Ahmed.

Moqim took 3/26 against Bangladesh in the semi-final, while Minhas returned 2/23.

Pakistan could therefore try to slow India’s aggressive batting through spin, particularly during the middle overs.

India, meanwhile, have their own high-quality spin options including Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi.

India vs Pakistan T20 Head-to-Head

India have held the stronger overall T20 international record between the two teams.

Before today’s final, the teams had met 17 times in T20 internationals, with:

India — 13 wins

Pakistan — 3 wins

Tied — 1

Their most recent T20I meeting came during the 2026 T20 World Cup in February, when India won by 61 runs.

Historical records provide context, but they do not determine the result of today’s final.

India Are Defending Asian Games Champions

India won men’s cricket gold at the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games.

That edition ended unusually.

India’s final against Afghanistan was washed out, and India received gold because of their higher ranking.

The men’s cricket gold-medal history before today’s final is:

2010 Guangzhou — Bangladesh

2014 Incheon — Sri Lanka

2023 Hangzhou — India

India therefore have the opportunity to retain their Asian Games men’s cricket title.

Pakistan, meanwhile, have never won men’s cricket gold at the Asian Games.

What Happens if India vs Pakistan Final Is Washed Out?

This is one of the most important rules fans should know.

The rule for 2026 is different from the one applied at the 2023 Asian Games.

The organising committee told Indian Express that there is no reserve day for the men’s cricket final.

More importantly, if today’s final is cancelled, India and Pakistan will both receive gold medals.

That means India would not automatically receive gold simply because of their higher ranking.

If the final cannot produce a result and is cancelled, the gold will be shared.

This distinction is particularly important because rain disrupted several earlier cricket matches during the tournament.

What Is the Weather Situation?

Weather forecasts published ahead of the match have differed considerably.

Some early reports raised concerns about rain, while more recent hourly forecasts available Saturday morning showed considerably drier conditions around the relevant afternoon window in Nisshin.

Because forecasts can change rapidly, fans should treat any exact rain percentage as a forecast rather than a guarantee.

The confirmed tournament rule is more important: if the final is cancelled, both teams receive gold.

India Squad for Asian Games 2026 Final

India’s tournament squad includes captain Shreyas Iyer, along with Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Vipraj Nigam, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Thakur, Arshdeep Singh and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

The final playing XI will be confirmed around the toss.

Pakistan Squad for Asian Games 2026 Final

Pakistan’s squad is led by Sahibzada Farhan and includes Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Arafat Minhas, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Saad Masood, Saim Ayub, Sufyan Moqim and wicketkeeper Usman Khan.

Again, the final XI should not be treated as confirmed until the toss.

Where to Watch India vs Pakistan Live in India

Indian viewers can watch the Asian Games cricket final on the Sony Sports Network.

The match is also available for online streaming through

The scheduled start is:

10:00 AM IST — October 3, 2026

Fans looking for the toss should check from approximately 9:30 AM IST.

Live: https://youtube.com/live/GY6h-FAauag?si=VaORgkl4AC3RRP_e

Why Today’s Match Has Huge Attention

India-Pakistan cricket already attracts enormous interest, but today’s contest adds another element: a gold medal will be decided directly between the two teams.

India are trying to defend their 2023 title.

Pakistan are attempting to win their first Asian Games men’s cricket gold.

India arrive after a 124-run semi-final victory, while Pakistan come into the match following a six-wicket win against Bangladesh.

And the match features several players capable of changing the contest quickly—from Ishan Kishan and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for India to Abdul Samad and Pakistan’s group of spin bowlers.

The wait is almost over.

India vs Pakistan for Asian Games gold begins at 10:00 AM IST today.