The Indian men's cricket team won the gold medal in the Asian Games 2026 held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Team India had also won gold in the last Asiad. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had sent a second-rate team for the Hangzhou Asian Games but a full strength team fielded in Aichi-Nagoya. Wicketkeeper batsman Sanju Samson said that this was a major reason for the victory against Pakistan in the final.
Sanju said that the gold medal did not come on a platter and fielding an 'A' team of experienced players helped in handling the pressure against Pakistan. The Indian team defended its gold medal in the Asian Games by defeating arch-rival Pakistan by 19 runs on Saturday (October 3).
Sanju said after the match, 'We had a very experienced team. This is where the experience of experienced players comes in handy. We knew how to manage our energy, how to keep ourselves motivated and focused, even when practice or matches were not happening.
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Fielding a strong team was beneficial – Sanju
India's decision to include regular T20 players in the team helped it to play with strength and composure in this big match. Sanju said, 'Bringing the A team was very helpful and the same was seen in the final against Pakistan. Team India had scored a strong score of 211 runs for six wickets with the help of half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Verma, in response to which Pakistan team could score only 192 runs after losing six wickets. However, the final was not a one-sided contest. Pakistan's aggressive reply on a pitch favorable for batting made the match exciting in the end.
Sanju said, 'Finally we got to play a good match. We scored 200 runs in the first innings and felt that the second innings might be difficult for Pakistan but the wicket was good and they also batted well. Everyone got to see a good final. He further said, 'We did not get the gold medal decorated on a plate. For this we had to work hard. This makes this win even more satisfying and we are all happy.
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'We did not let the pressure dominate us'
Sanju admitted that the team was aware of the importance of this match but the players did not let this big occasion influence their way of playing. He said, 'It was definitely a big opportunity and a big competition for all of us to represent our country in the final of the Asian Games. The same happens before and after the match. But once the match starts, we play according to the demands of the match and the conditions of the match.