New Delhi, Oct. 3 -- India held off a spirited Pakistan fightback to retain the Asian Games men's cricket gold, after Shreyas Iyer's side secured a 19-run victory in the final on Saturday. Abhishek Sharma's explosive fifty set up India's imposing 211 before Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube provided the late surge. Pakistan threatened through Hasan Nawaz, who smashed 96, but India held their nerve when it mattered to close out the contest.
India's decision to bat first paid off as they raced to 81 in the Powerplay on a surface that offered plenty of assistance to spin. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi began the assault by hitting Saad Masood for two sixes before Abhishek took the leg-spinner for 24 in the same over.
Sooryavanshi was dismissed soon after, g...