India produced a commanding all-round performance against Sri Lanka on Thursday, October 1, defeating them by 124 runs in the second semifinal of the Asian Games 2026 men's cricket competition.

After Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan, India posted 169/7 in 20 overs. Sri Lanka's chase then collapsed dramatically as the Indian bowling attack reduced them to 45 all out in only 9.5 overs.

The victory sends India through to the gold-medal match, where they will meet Pakistan. Pakistan had earlier defeated Bangladesh by six wickets in the first semifinal.

India did not have everything their own way with the bat.

After a fast start, wickets fell regularly and India were reduced to 87/4, leaving the middle order with the task of building a competitive total.

That is where Ishan Kishan took control.

The left-hander remained unbeaten on 80 from 46 balls, striking four fours and five sixes. His innings combined patience with late acceleration and helped India reach 169/7 from their 20 overs.

Young opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also made an important contribution, smashing 38 from 21 balls, including six fours and two sixes. His aggressive start helped India establish momentum during the powerplay.

Kishan's 80 also broke Manish Pandey's eight-year-old record for India's highest individual score from No. 5 or lower in men's T20 internationals, according to Times of India.

Sri Lanka needed 170 to reach the final, but India's bowlers made sure the chase never developed.

Jasprit Bumrah made an immediate impact, taking two wickets in the opening over. India then continued to attack, reducing Sri Lanka to 33/6 inside the powerplay.

The collapse continued as wickets fell at regular intervals. Sri Lanka were eventually dismissed for just 45 in 9.5 overs, handing India one of the most comprehensive victories of the tournament.

Bumrah finished with 2/7, while Axar Patel took 2/8 and Abhishek Sharma claimed 2/2, underlining India's dominance with the ball.

India's victory sets up a high-profile India vs Pakistan cricket final at the Asian Games.

Pakistan had already secured their place in the gold-medal match by beating Bangladesh by six wickets in the first semifinal earlier on Thursday. Their chase came in a rain-shortened 13-over contest.

India and Pakistan will therefore meet for the Asian Games men's cricket gold medal, while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will compete for bronze.

The final is scheduled for October 3, 2026, with India entering the match as the defending Asian Games men's cricket champions after winning gold at Hangzhou in 2023.