WATCH: Ishan Kishan’s record-breaking knock powers Team India to Asian Games 2026 gold medal clash, set to face Pakistan in final

Asian Games 2026: Ishan Kishan lived up to his billing of world No. 1 T20I batter with a match-winning knock of 80 not out in just 46 balls to set up Team India’s massive 124-run win over Sri Lanka to march into the Asian Games 2026 gold medal match. Defending champions will now take on arch-rivals Pakistan in the final at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin on Saturday.

Ishan Kishan’s blazing fifty set up India’s fighting total of 169 for 7 in 20 overs after being sent into bat but Sri Lanka crumbled for just 45 in 9.5 overs to ease entry of Shreyas Iyer’s side into the final. Indian opener Abhishek Sharma ended up with 2 for 2 in 5 balls as three Lankan wickets fell in the 10th over of their innings which proved to be last.

But the match result didn’t look a foregone conclusion when the T20 World Cup champions were struggling at 125 for 6 after 15 overs. On a Korogi Sports Park pitch which was offering appreciable turn and bounce to the spinners, no Indian batter barring Ishan Kishan and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could get going.

Sooryavanshi, who returned to the Indian playing 11 after being benched for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, set the tone with 38 off 21 balls with 2 sixes and six fours after Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson had been dismissed cheaply.

After Sooryavanshi’s dismissal, it was Kishan who took charge, notching up the highest-ever individual score by an Indian batter in T20I cricket batting at No. 5 or lower in batting order. He broke the record of 79 not out by Manish Pandey against South Africa at Centurion in 2018. Yuvraj Singh had scored 77 not out against Australia in Rajkot in 2013 while Hardik Pandya had notched up 71 not out vs Australia in Mohali in 2022.

WATCH Ishan Kishan hit a blazing fifty against Sri Lanka in Asian Games 2026 semifinal HERE…

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Kishan also notched up his eighth score of fifty or more in T20I cricket in 2026. He surpassed the record of Virat Kohli, who had scored 7 fifties in 2016. Only Kohli’s nine 50-plus scores in 2022 and Suryakumar Yadav’s 11 have surpassed Kishan.

Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel dismantle Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan reply could never take off as Jasprit Bumrah wrecked havoc in the first over of the chase. Bumrah, who was rested for one-off T20I match against Japan last week, dismissed Sineth Jayawardena and Sohan de Livera in the opening over as the Lankans were 0 for 2 in their chase.

Sahan Arachchige’s side added to their own woes with three unnecessary run-outs including opener Lasith Croospulle dismissed without facing a ball. Axar Patel also struck twice in his second over, dismissing Lankan skipper Arachchige for 9 and Ashen Bandara for a duck.

Bumrah, Axar Patel and Abhishek all ended up with 2 wickets each while Washington Sundar claimed one wicket.

Pakistan defeat Bangladesh by six wickets

Earlier on Thursday, Sahibzada Farhan’s Pakistan cricket team set up a mouth-watering clash against arch-rivals India when they hammered Bangladesh six wickets in a match reduced to 13 overs a side due to wet outfield. Pakistan restricted Bangladesh to 111 for 7 with Sufyan Moqim claiming 3 for 26 in 3 overs and Arafat Minhas snaring 2 for 23.

Chasing 112 to win, skipper Farhan was dismissed for 1 but Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman conceded 23 runs in his second over to hand over the game to Pakistan. Abdul Samad remained unbeaten on 30 off 15 balls with 1 six and 5 fours while Hasan Nawaz scored 27 off 22 balls with 2 sixes and 2 fours.

Bangladesh will now take on Sri Lanka in the bronze medal match on Saturday ahead of the final.