New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated the Indian men’s cricket team for defending their gold medal at the Asian Games after a strong 19-run win over Pakistan in the Aichi-Nagoya Games final at the Karogi Sports Park in Nisshin.
Modi heaped praise on the team for their second straight gold, calling it a joyous occasion for the nation. “The gold comes to India yet again! Congratulations to our Men’s Cricket Team on retaining their title at the Asian Games. This is indeed a joyous occasion for the nation. My best wishes to the team members for their future endeavours,” a statement from the PMO India read.
Earlier, ICC chairman Jay Shah also congratulated the men’s team for the win. “Nagoya and Japan have written a proud new chapter in cricket’s history. Congratulations to Team India on a campaign worthy of this moment, and heartfelt thanks to every competing nation, to the Olympic Council of Asia and organisers whose vision brought us here, and to the thousands of fans whose presence reminded us why cricket is so special anywhere in the world,” Shah wrote on X.
Abhishek Sharma’s breathtaking 61 off 28, Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 51 off 22 and an all-round effort from Washington Sundar, Axar Patel and Shivam Dube helped India clinch back-to-back Asian Games gold medals in men’s cricket as they beat Pakistan by 19 runs in a thrilling final.
India produced a brilliant, breathless and golden finish after posting 211/6, with Abhishek setting the tone with the fastest fifty by an Indian against Pakistan in T20Is before Tilak and Dube provided a late surge.
But Pakistan were not going down without a fight and were powered by a magnificent 96 off 51 from Hasan Nawaz. But India’s spinners and all-rounders held their nerve in a frenzied finish, with Dube taking the wicket of Nawaz on the final ball to end Pakistan’s innings at 192 for 6 and sending the Indian players into wild celebrations.
(IANS)
