Cricket rivals India and Pakistan will contend for the Asian Games gold medal on Saturday in Japan, following semi-final victories for both sides on Thursday.
Pakistan secured their place in the final by defeating Bangladesh by six wickets in a match reduced to 13 overs per innings because of a wet outfield. India subsequently completed an emphatic 124-run victory over Sri Lanka, whose line-up suffered four ducks.
Political tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours will again form the backdrop to Saturday's encounter.
Recent meetings between the two teams have seen traditional customs abandoned, with players declining to shake hands before or after matches. Cross-border strains brought the countries to the brink of war last year, with the resulting acrimony continuing to impact the sport.
Indian teams have repeatedly avoided shaking hands with Pakistani players and refused to accept silverware from Pakistani administrators.
The Indian men’s side beat Pakistan three times during the Asia Cup, including the final, but Suryakumar Yadav’s team refused to accept the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi and abstained from handshakes in all three fixtures.
India’s women’s team similarly declined to shake hands with Pakistan during a continental championship match, and also refused the trophy from Naqvi after winning the women’s Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
In the second semi-final, Ishan Kishan’s unbeaten 80 off 46 balls powered India to 169-7, alongside a 38-run contribution from 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who struck two sixes and six fours.
India started briskly before Sooryavanshi departed shortly after the powerplay, allowing Sri Lanka to stem the flow before Kishan hit five sixes and four boundaries to finish strongly.
Sri Lanka, fielding a second-string team, were bowled out for 45 in 9.5 overs. Top three batters Sineth Jayawardene, Lasith Croospulle and Sohan de Livera fell for ducks, with Jasprit Bumrah taking two wickets in his opening over and Croospulle run-out.
Only Nuwanidu Fernando (15) reached double figures. Bumrah took 2-7, with spinners Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Abhishek Sharma claiming five wickets between them.
For Pakistan, Abdul Samad struck a quickfire 30 not out off 15 balls while left-arm spinner Sufyan Muqim took 3-28. Towhid Hridoy top-scored in Bangladesh’s 111-7 with 42 off 25 balls, including four sixes, before falling to Muqim in the penultimate over.
