Asian Games 2026: Shreyas Iyer wins toss, elects to bat first against Pakistan

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In the Asian Games 2026 final against Pakistan, Team India’s skipper Shreyas Iyer has won the toss and elected to bat first at the Aichi Prefectural Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.

Team India’s in-form batsman Ishan Kishan said, “Representing India isn’t just about being associated with the BCCI, it’s always about something much bigger. There are so many expectations, so many plans in motion, and millions of people cheering for you. You feel that intense pride inside, even if you don’t always show it externally. It really is a unique feeling. Even though we have a world-class squad with fantastic batters and bowlers, there is still that extra weight of pressure whenever you perform for the country. Cricket can change in an instant, you step out to bat, face one good ball, and the entire momentum of the match shifts. You have to be completely switched on, read the pitch, know what the team requires, and execute your plan. Especially on these kinds of surfaces, prioritising team goals over individual milestones is essential, and that’s where our entire focus lies. It’s been a fantastic experience here overall. The local people have been incredibly warm and helpful, guiding us wherever we need to go, even despite the language barrier. When you’re in a foreign country, seeing locals go out of their way to support you when it isn’t even their job means a lot to us”.

“As for the fans, sabse achha cheez yeh hai (the best part is) that no matter where we play around the world, Indian supporters show up in huge numbers and give us that extra cushion of backing. It feels like we start every game with a slight upper hand because of them. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who travels long distances to support us. Win or lose, their love is unconditional, they just want to cheer us on, keep us motivated, and ensure every player feels comfortable. That support truly means everything to us,” he added.

Asian Games 2026, IND vs PAK: Confirmed Playing XIs

India: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shreyas Iyer (C), Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah.

Pakistan: Sufiyan Muqeem, Hasan Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Abdul Samad, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan (C), Saim Ayub, Ahmed Daniyal, Usman Khan (WK), Arafat Minhas, Maaz Sadaqat.

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