Abhishek Sharma played a crucial role as India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs in the Asian Games 2026 cricket final to successfully defend their gold medal. The left-handed opener produced an explosive knock of 61 off 28 balls, helping India post a challenging 211/6 in 20 overs at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. After the memorable victory on Saturday, October 3, Abhishek reflected on his batting approach, the pressure surrounding an India-Pakistan clash, India’s bowling performance and his experience of representing the country at the Asian Games.
Despite the enormous attention surrounding an India vs Pakistan final, Abhishek revealed that the Indian team did not want to get distracted by the occasion. Instead, the players focused on treating the game like any other match and adapting to the situation.
The Indian opener also explained his aggressive approach during the powerplay. His intention was to attack any delivery that entered his hitting zone and make the most of the fielding restrictions. Abhishek believed a strong start could give India a significant advantage early in the contest.
Abhishek Sharma told Revsportz: “Whenever we win for India, it’s a proud feeling. Our plan was to play just another match. In pressure situations, you should play normally. In the powerplay, whichever ball is in my area, I will utilize it fully, no matter who the bowler is. If we bat better in the powerplay, half of the game can be over.”
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His strategy worked as Abhishek took the Pakistan bowling attack apart, smashing seven sixes and three fours during his 28-ball innings. His aggressive start helped India recover after losing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson early in the innings. However, defending 212 was far from straightforward. Pakistan mounted a strong challenge during the chase, with Hasan Nawaz producing an outstanding 96 off 51 balls. His innings kept Pakistan in contention deep into the second innings.
Abhishek admitted that Pakistan’s middle-order partnership made the chase more difficult than India had anticipated. Nevertheless, he backed the team’s bowling attack to finish the job. He said: “They also did a very good batting in the middle overs. We were not expecting that the partnership would last so long. But at last, in the death overs, I feel our spinners and Jassi Bhai did a very good job. Credit goes to them.”
🗣️”India ke liye jitna hamesha proud feeling deti hai”:
Abhishek Sharma speaks exclusively to RevSportz, expressing his post win feelings , mindset before the big game, team’s performance and more. @IamAbhiSharma4 @iabhijitdesh @TataSteelLtd #IndvPak #TeamIndia #Cricket pic.twitter.com/kuXPdcaITi
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) October 3, 2026
Washington Sundar, Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah played important roles during the latter stages as India restricted Pakistan to 192/6, securing a 19-run victory.
Abhishek also spoke about his experience in Japan, revealing that he enjoyed travelling around the country despite the challenging weather. Persistent rain disrupted outdoor training, forcing the support staff to find alternative ways to keep the players prepared. It was a lot of fun, sir. I got to travel all over Japan. It rains 24 hours a day. So, as a player, it is important to keep yourself in the game zone whenever there is a crucial match like this.”
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The youngster credited India’s trainer and physio for helping the squad maintain its preparation and momentum throughout the tournament. For Abhishek, however, the most special moment came when the Indian flag was raised after the gold-medal victory.
“Whenever we play a match for India, and when the flag goes up, I feel the motivation that comes from within. We feel happy that we are representing India and doing so well. We feel the same today as well.” With cricket scheduled to return at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Abhishek believes India must remain focused on the immediate challenges rather than looking too far ahead. “It is still a long way. So, there are small steps.”
