NAGOYA, Japan (AP) — Cricket heavyweights India and Pakistan will meet in the Asian Games gold medal match after winning their semifinals on Thursday.
Pakistan beat Bangladesh by six wickets in a match reduced to 13 overs each innings because of a wet outfield. India handed a crushing 124-run defeat to Sri Lanka in the second semifinal, with four Sri Lankan batters failing to score.
Political tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors will likely
be in focus once again when the cricket rivals contest Saturday's final in Japan.
One of the sport's traditions has been dispensed with in recent matches between India and Pakistan, with players not shaking hands before or after their contests.
Cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan brought the two countries to the brink of war last year, with the acrimony also spilling onto the cricket field.
Indian cricketers have avoided handshakes with Pakistan players, and have refused to accept the trophy and medals from a Pakistani official at more than one tournament.
The Indian men’s team beat Pakistan three times in the Asia Cup, including the final, but Suryakumar Yadav’s team refused to accept the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi and didn't shake hands with Pakistan players in any of the three games.
The Indian women’s team didn't shake hands with the Pakistan team in during a match at the continental championship, and also refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi when it won the women’s Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
Ishan Kishan’s unbeaten 80-run blitz off 46 balls propelled India to 169-7, and 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi struck two sixes and six fours in his aggressive 38.
Sri Lanka, fielding a second-string lineup, lost the top three batters – Sineth Jayawardene, Lasith Croospulle and Sohan de Livera -- without scoring as Jasprit Bumrah claimed two wickets in his opening over and Croospulle was run-out.
Only Nuwanidu Fernando (15) managed to reach double figures as Sri Lanka got bundled out for 45 in 9.5 overs.
Bumrah warmed up for the final with figures of 2-7, while spinners Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Abhishek Sharma shared five wickets in between them.
India, after being put into bat, got away to a blazing start before Sooryavanshi was dismissed soon after the batting powerplay.
Sri Lanka hit back in the middle overs before Kishan rallied, smacking five sixes and four boundaries to give India a strong total.
Abdul Samad smashed an unbeaten 30 off just 15 balls and left-arm spinner Sufyan Muqim snared 3-28 in Pakistan’s convincing win over Bangladesh.
Towhid Hridoy showed aggression in Bangladesh’s total of 111-7 with a knock of 42 off 25 balls that featured four sixes before he was dismissed by Muqim in the penultimate over.
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