On Thursday, October 1, Pakistan secured a magnificent six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the first semi-final of the men’s cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games, booking their spot in the gold medal match.
Pakistan secured a magnificent six-wicket victory over Bangladesh
The match was reduced to 13 overs per side due to a wet outfield at the Korogi Sports Park in Nishin. Opting to field first, Pakistan immediately put Bangladesh under pressure with disciplined opening bowling. Spinners Arafat Minhas and Saim Ayub claimed crucial wickets during the powerplay, quickly reducing Bangladesh to 21/3.
Bangladesh found much-needed momentum through Towhid Hridoy, who launched a spirited counter-attack. Hridoy scored 42 runs off just 25 balls and combined with Mosaddek Hossain to rapidly add 53 runs, propelling Bangladesh to a respectable total of 111/7. However, Pakistan’s Sufiyan Muqeem broke the partnership in the closing overs and stifled the scoring rate, finishing with impressive figures of 3/26.
Chasing a target of 112 runs in 78 balls, Pakistaan maintained a firm grip on the required run rate. Key contributions from Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz, and Abdul Samad ensured a composed and calculated chase. Despite Bangladesh’s attempts to apply pressure through spin, Pakistan achieved the target in just 11.3 overs, finishing at 112/4 with nine balls to spare.
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This victory guarantees Pakistan at least a silver medal, as they have advanced to the final to compete for gold, while Bangladesh will now contend for the bronze medal.
In the second semi-final, India is facing Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bowl first in this match. At the time of writing, India’s score is 128/6 in 16 overs. The winner of this match will face Pakistan in the gold medal match, while the losing team will compete against Bangladesh for the bronze medal.
