India Claims Men’s Cricket Gold at 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou

India, led by captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, captured the gold medal in men’s cricket during the 2023 Asian Games held in Hangzhou. The team entered the competition at the quarterfinal stage and overcame strong opponents to clinch the top spot.

Path to Victory

In the quarterfinals, India comfortably defeated Nepal by 23 runs, securing their place in the semifinals. They then faced Bangladesh, whom they dismantled to reach the final round.

The final against Afghanistan was cut short due to heavy rain. Afghanistan had reached 112 for 5 in 18.2 overs when play was abandoned. Since no result could be achieved, the tournament’s seeding rules awarded the gold medal to India as the higher-ranked team entering the final. Afghanistan took silver, marking their third consecutive men’s cricket final appearance at the Asian Games, while Bangladesh earned the bronze medal.

Medal Winners

• Gold: India
• Silver: Afghanistan
• Bronze: Bangladesh

Looking Ahead to Asian Games 2026

As defending champions, India arrives at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya with expectations high. Alongside Pakistan, India has a direct pass into the quarterfinals. Yet, a close warm-up match against hosts Japan raised concerns: India barely scraped a two-run win in a rain-shortened five-over game. Shreyas Iyer was the leading scorer with 16 runs, while Japan’s bowlers steadily dismantled the Indian top order.

Upcoming Schedule and Results from 2026 Asian Games Cricket Event

• September 24 (Thursday), Group A: Afghanistan beat Japan by 48 runs
• September 24 (Thursday), Group B: Hong Kong China lost to Malaysia by eight wickets
• September 25 (Friday), Group B: Hong Kong China beat Oman by 41 runs
• September 25 (Friday), Group A: Afghanistan lost to Nepal by five wickets
• September 26 (Saturday), Group A: Japan vs Nepal
• September 26 (Saturday), Group B: Malaysia vs Oman
• September 28 (Monday), Quarter-final: Pakistan vs B2
• September 28 (Monday), Quarter-final: India vs A2
• September 29 (Tuesday), Quarter-final: Sri Lanka vs A1
• September 29 (Tuesday), Quarter-final: Bangladesh vs B1
• October 1 (Thursday), Semi-final: Pakistan/B2 vs Bangladesh/B1
• October 1 (Thursday), Semi-final: India/A2 vs Sri Lanka/A1
• October 3 (Saturday), Bronze medal match: Third-place play-off

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