India’s campaign at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya ended on a golden note, with the Indian contingent putting together a memorable run across disciplines. At the heart of the celebrations was Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer, who led the Indian men’s cricket team to a second successive Asian Games gold medal.

Making the occasion even more special, India’s campaign culminated in a high-voltage final against arch-rivals at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin. Led by Iyer, India held their nerve to secure a thrilling 19-run victory, successfully defending the gold medal they had won at the previous edition.

For Shreyas Iyer, the Asian Games presented another opportunity to lead from the front on the international stage. As captain, he guided a talented Indian side through a campaign that demanded composure, adaptability and consistency.

After rain disruptions affected the early knockout stages, India progressed to the semi-finals and produced a commanding performance against Sri Lanka to book their place in the gold-medal clash. The stage was then set for an India-Pakistan final and Sarpanch Saab's side delivered when it mattered most. Winning the toss, Shreyas opted to bat first, backing his team to put up a challenging total. India responded with an explosive batting display, posting 211/6, with Abhishek Sharma smashing 61 and Tilak Varma providing a sensational finish with an unbeaten 51* off just 22 balls. Pakistan fought back strongly during the chase, but India’s bowlers held their nerve in the crucial moments. The opposition finished on 192/6, handing Iyer and his teammates a 19-run win and the Asian Games gold medal.

The triumph also completed India’s golden double in cricket, with the women’s team having earlier defeated Sri Lanka by 147 runs in their final. India thus retained both cricket titles from the previous Asian Games. For Iyer, the gold adds another landmark moment to his growing leadership journey. Having already established himself as a leader at the franchise level, the Punjab Kings skipper now has an Asian Games gold medal to his name after guiding India through one of the tournament’s biggest occasions.

The Indian contingent signed off with an impressive 85 medals - 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze, to finish fourth in the overall standings. India’s gold-medal haul included memorable triumphs in hockey, kabaddi, archery, shooting, boxing, wrestling, athletics and golf, alongside cricket. The hockey teams completed a golden double, while both men’s and women’s kabaddi teams also finished on top. Archery produced nine medals, boxing delivered six, and Pranavi Urs created history by winning India’s first-ever individual golf gold at the Asian Games.

From Shreyas Iyer leading India to cricket gold to landmark performances across a host of sports, the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games proved to be another proud chapter for Indian sport.