Pakistan all-rounder Saim Ayub grabbed attention during the India-Pakistan men’s cricket gold-medal clash at the Asian Games 2026 after dismissing young Indian opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Ayub marked the early breakthrough with a baby-cradle celebration, mimicking the act of rocking a baby. The gesture quickly became one of the talking points from the high-profile final at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
India had won the toss and elected to bat first in the final on Saturday, October 3, retaining the same playing XI that featured in their semifinal victory over Sri Lanka. Pakistan, meanwhile, made one change to their lineup, bringing Saad Masood into the XI in place of Mohammad Wasim Jr. The match also began without the customary handshake between the two captains, adding another talking point before the action got underway.
Saim Ayub Takes a Dig at Vaibhav Sooryavanshi With ‘Babysitting’ Gesture
Pakistan struck early in the India-Pakistan Asian Games 2026 final as Saim Ayub dismissed India’s teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the third over. Sooryavanshi, who had made an aggressive start with two sixes, attempted a reverse sweep against a delivery that turned sharply and bounced outside off. The ball brushed his glove before carrying through to wicketkeeper Usman Khan, who eventually completed the catch after initially struggling to hold on.
Saim Ayub gets the wicket of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi!!! pic.twitter.com/53ZOR7GkYJ
— PctMedia (@PctMediaa) October 3, 2026
Ayub’s reaction to the wicket quickly became one of the talking points of the final. After celebrating with his teammates, the Pakistan all-rounder made a rocking-a-baby gesture in Sooryavanshi’s direction, appearing to reference the Indian batter’s age. At just 15, Sooryavanshi has already attracted considerable attention for his fearless strokeplay and is widely known for his hard-hitting style.
India Race Ahead as Sooryavanshi Falls After Quickfire Start
The dismissal came after India had made a blistering start despite losing Sanju Samson early. Debutant Saad Masood was taken apart in his first over, conceding 24 runs as India’s openers attacked from the outset. India raced to 43 runs inside three overs and went on to register their fastest T20I team fifty against Pakistan, reaching the mark in just 3.2 overs.
Sooryavanshi had walked into the final with plenty of momentum after smashing 38 off 21 deliveries in India’s semi-final win over Sri Lanka. His performances throughout 2026 had turned him into one of the most closely followed young batters in Indian cricket, making his early dismissal an important moment in the gold-medal clash.
The youngster’s innings eventually ended at 15 from nine balls, with Abhishek Sharma visibly disappointed as Sooryavanshi headed back to the pavilion. The combination of Ayub’s wicket-taking delivery, Usman’s juggling catch and the subsequent ‘babysitting’ celebration added another memorable moment to an already intense India-Pakistan final, with the Asian Games gold medal on the line.
