Jay Shah Hails India's Historic Asian Games Cricket Gold
Jay Shah congratulates BCCI and Indian teams after India secures a historic fourth Asian Games cricket gold in Aichi-Nagoya.
ICC Chairman Jay Shah has extended his heartfelt congratulations to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the national teams following India's spectacular achievement in securing their fourth Asian Games cricket gold across two editions of the tournament.
The victory, achieved during the 2026 campaign in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, marks a significant milestone for Indian cricket on the continental stage. In a social media post, Shah lauded the collective efforts of the administration, coaching staff, and the players who drove the nation to success.
A Tribute to the Architects of Success
Jay Shah specifically highlighted the contributions of key figures behind the scenes and on the field. His appreciation was directed toward BCCI officials and the coaching duo of Amol Muzumdar and VVS Laxman. He also commended the leadership of captains Harmanpreet Kaur and Shreyas Iyer for guiding their respective squads to championship glory.
The triumph underscores the growing depth and dominance of Indian cricket across both men's and women's formats at the Asian level.
Men's Victory: India Defeats Pakistan in High-Octane Final
The men's T20 championship saw a thrilling encounter where India successfully defended their title by defeating arch-rivals Pakistan by 19 runs. The Indian innings was ignited by a ferocious knock from Abhishek Sharma, who smashed 61 runs off just 28 deliveries, including seven sixes. Tilak Varma provided crucial stability at the end, remaining unbeaten on 51 from 22 balls to propel India to a formidable total of 211/6.
Despite a valiant effort from Pakistan's Hasan Nawaz, who struck a magnificent 96 off 51 balls, the Indian bowling unit remained composed under pressure. They restricted Pakistan to 192/6, marking India's sixth consecutive victory over Pakistan since the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Women's Dominance: A Massive Margin Over Sri Lanka
The Indian women's team continued their sensational run by securing their second successive Asian Games gold medal. In a dominant display of power and precision, India dismantled Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the title match. The victory was fueled by explosive batting from Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, complemented by a masterful performance from the Indian spin bowlers.
India's Overall Performance at Aichi-Nagoya 2026
The cricket successes contributed to a stellar overall performance for the Indian contingent at the 20th edition of the Asian Games. India's total medal tally reached 85, consisting of:
- 21 Gold
- 27 Silver
- 37 Bronze
Competing against a massive field of athletes in Japan, India's performance in Aichi-Nagoya highlights the nation's rising sporting prowess across various disciplines, following the record-breaking 106-medal haul achieved at the Hangzhou 2023 games.