Abhishek, Tilak Power India to 211/6 Against Pakistan in Asian Games Final'

India posted a formidable 211/6 against Pakistan in the Asian Games men’s cricket final, riding record-breaking half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma at Korogi Sports Park on Saturday.

Abhishek set the tone with a blistering 20-ball fifty, the fastest by an Indian batter against Pakistan in T20Is. He went on to score 61 from just 28 deliveries, striking three fours and seven sixes before his innings came to an end in the eighth over.

Tilak Varma then delivered a sensational finish, reaching his own half-century in 21 balls as India accelerated dramatically during the final overs. His unbeaten 51, combined with Shivam Dube’s contribution, helped India add a substantial number of runs after Pakistan’s spinners had slowed the scoring in the middle phase.

India opted to bat first after captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi provided an aggressive beginning but was dismissed for 15 from nine balls in the third over while attempting an inventive shot against Saim Ayub.

Sanju Samson departed soon afterwards, caught at mid-on while trying to attack Ahmed Daniyal. With India needing momentum, Abhishek took charge and tore into the Pakistan bowling during the powerplay.

His 20-ball fifty surpassed his previous record of a 24-ball half-century against Pakistan in Dubai in 2025. By the time Arafat Minhas dismissed him, Abhishek had already given India a commanding platform.

Pakistan's spin attack subsequently managed to restrict India's scoring rate. Shreyas Iyer made 21 from 24 balls, while Ishan Kishan scored 20 off 18 as India struggled to reproduce the intensity of the opening overs.

That changed during the death overs when Tilak and Dube launched a sustained attack. India collected 12 runs from Abrar Ahmed in the 17th over, 18 from Sufyan Moqim in the 18th and a further 23 from Saim Ayub in the 19th.

Tilak's 21-ball fifty made him the second-fastest Indian to reach the milestone against Pakistan in T20Is, with Abhishek's 20-ball effort earlier in the innings now occupying the top spot.

The 62-run partnership between Tilak and Dube also became the second-highest stand for the sixth wicket or lower in a T20I tournament final involving at least five teams. The record remains the unbeaten 68-run partnership between Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews against Pakistan in the 2009 T20 World Cup final at Lord's.

India's total of 211/6 further underlined the scale of their late acceleration, becoming only the second occasion on which a full-member side had crossed 200 in a T20I tournament final involving five or more teams. India had previously posted 255/5 against New Zealand in the 2026 T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad.

Abhishek's seven sixes also moved him to second among Indian batters for most sixes in T20I finals, behind Sanju Samson's eight against New Zealand in Ahmedabad in 2026. Tilak's four sixes put him alongside Virat Kohli, Axar Patel and Ishan Kishan on the same tally in the category.

**Brief scores:** India 211/6 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 61, Tilak Varma 51*; Arafat Minhas 2-25, Ahmed Daniyal 2-43) against Pakistan.