In the second cricket semifinal of the Asian Games 2026 underway in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, India found themselves batting first after Sri Lanka won the coin toss and chose to bowl. While the Indian contingent lined up a formidable squad packed with established stars, Sri Lanka opted to field an energetic, youthful squad for this high-stakes fixture in Japan.
India Lineup and Squad Balance
The Indian team management entrusted the opening responsibilities to Abhishek Sharma alongside emerging talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The final playing eleven for the Indian side features Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, wicketkeeper Sanju Samson, captain Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, and frontline pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.
Early Dismissal of Abhishek Sharma
Abhishek Sharma struggled to break his lean patch on Japanese soil during the early stages of the innings. Looking to clear the ropes, his aggressive attempt yielded an outside edge that carried directly to a waiting fielder. The left-hander had dispatched the previous delivery over the boundary for six, but Sri Lankan captain Arachchige dismissed him on the very next ball. Abhishek concluded his brief stay with 7 runs off just three deliveries. Consequently, India lost their first wicket inside the second over with only 12 runs on the scoreboard, bringing Sanju Samson out to the middle.
Pakistan Awaits in the Gold Medal Fixture
The tournament previously witnessed Pakistan securing the first final berth in their encounter with Bangladesh. Batting first, Bangladesh managed 111 runs for the loss of seven wickets. Pakistan successfully chased down the target with four wickets down and nine balls to spare. The team emerging victorious from the ongoing match between India and Sri Lanka will compete against Pakistan on October 3 for the tournament gold medal.
