Nagoya, Oct 3: The highly anticipated India-Pakistan cricket final at the Asian Games concluded without any major controversy on Saturday, although the traditional exchange of handshakes between the players was once again absent.
India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs to retain the men’s T20 cricket gold medal.
The match had attracted considerable attention amid the strained bilateral relations between the two countries. However, the tension did not spill over into the contest, with both teams maintaining their focus on the game.
The toss took place at one corner of the ground, while television crews waited at the centre of the pitch. After the match, Indian players headed towards their dressing room without approaching the Pakistani side.
The Pakistan players also left the field after shaking hands with the umpires, with no interaction taking place between the two teams.
Despite the absence of handshakes, the match was played without heated exchanges or major incidents. The players remained focused on the contest as India successfully defended its imposing total to secure a second consecutive Asian Games gold.
The medal ceremony also passed off smoothly. A senior official of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee presented the silver medals to the Pakistan team, while ICC Chairman and former BCCI secretary Jay Shah presented the gold medals to the Indian side led by captain Shreyas Iyer.
An awkward moment occurred during the group photograph involving the three medal-winning teams. India stood in the middle, with Pakistan expected to be on one side and bronze medallists Sri Lanka on the other.
The Pakistani players appeared uncertain about their position and stepped down from the podium after the medal ceremony. Sri Lankan players also followed before the teams eventually assembled in front of the Indian contingent for the photograph.
Jay Shah left the venue after the photo session.
The absence of Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi, who cited prior commitments, also meant that a potential point of tension was avoided.
Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s interior minister, has been involved in a dispute with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the presentation of Asia Cup trophies.
The Indian teams had declined to accept their trophies from Naqvi, with the BCCI citing its position following Operation Sindoor. The dispute continued during the 2025 men’s Asia Cup and the women’s edition this year.
Against this backdrop, the Asian Games final had been closely watched for developments both on and off the field. However, the absence of Naqvi and the manner in which the organisers conducted the medal ceremony ensured that the event passed without a repeat of the Asia Cup trophy controversy.
India finished with the gold medal, Pakistan took silver and Sri Lanka secured bronze, with the final remaining focused primarily on the cricketing contest despite the continuing strain in India-Pakistan relations.
