India Reach Hockey and Cricket Finals at 2026 Asian Games

India reached the men’s hockey and cricket finals and added medals in wrestling, sailing, archery and squash during a packed October 1 at the 2026 Asian Games. Nitesh Siwach and the sailing pair of Manu Francis and Prince Kurisinkal Noble won silver medals, while Ganesh Thirumuru earned archery bronze and both squash teams finished with bronze.

The day carried major significance across India’s team and individual events. The hockey side produced a late semifinal winner against Pakistan, while the cricket team advanced after a dominant 124-run victory over Sri Lanka. In wrestling, Siwach became the first Indian Greco-Roman wrestler since 1962 to reach an Asian Games final.

Hockey and cricket teams book title-match places

India’s men’s hockey team beat Pakistan 4-3 in a dramatic semifinal to move into the final. Harmanpreet Singh scored twice and Sukhjeet Singh added another as India built a 3-0 lead. Pakistan recovered to level the match, but Abhishek struck with 49 seconds remaining to secure India’s place in the title match.

The men’s cricket team also reached the final in emphatic fashion, defeating Sri Lanka by 124 runs. Ishan Kishan made an unbeaten 80 from 46 balls as India posted 169/7. Sri Lanka were then bowled out for 45.

India’s men’s sepak takraw team ensured another medal opportunity by reaching the semifinals with a 2-0 win over Vietnam. The victory assured India of a medal in the event.

Siwach makes Greco-Roman wrestling history

Siwach delivered one of India’s standout individual performances. The 23-year-old claimed silver in the men’s 97kg Greco-Roman wrestling category after losing 0-4 to Japan’s Yuri Nakazato in the final. His run to the gold-medal bout made him the first Indian Greco-Roman wrestler since 1962 to reach an Asian Games final.

Mansi Ahlawat finished fourth in the women’s 62kg wrestling event after losing her bronze-medal bout. India’s judo campaign also ended without a medal after Inunganbi Takhellambam lost her bronze-medal contest.

In sailing, cousins Manu Francis and Prince Kurisinkal Noble finished runners-up in the men’s skiff event to take silver. Ganesh Thirumuru added bronze in the men’s compound individual archery competition. Chikitha Taniparthi, however, exited in the quarterfinals, meaning India could not defend its women’s compound individual title.

Squash bronzes and mixed results across the programme

Both Indian squash teams completed their campaigns with bronze medals after semifinal defeats. The women’s team lost 1-2 to Hong Kong, while the men’s team went down 1-2 against Malaysia.

Tennis ended without a medal for India after Sumit Nagal lost 4-6, 4-6 to China’s Wu Yibing in the men’s quarterfinals. The result ended India’s 40-year Asian Games medal streak in tennis. The men’s volleyball team also exited after a 0-3 quarterfinal loss to Pakistan.

Deepu Gowda left the sport climbing competition at the quarterfinal stage despite setting a national record of 5.091 seconds in qualifying. In shooting, Anish Bhanwala finished seventh in the men’s 25m rapid-fire pistol final. India concluded its shooting campaign with 15 medals: three gold, eight silver and four bronze.

Golf remained an active medal prospect. Pranavi Urs was second at 11-under after two rounds, two shots behind leader Shannon Tan, while India’s women’s team stood third. With finals secured in hockey and cricket, a wrestling silver, sailing silver, archery bronze and squash bronzes already added, India’s October 1 programme featured progress and medals across a broad range of events.