India have defended their Asian Games men’s cricket title, beating arch-rivals Pakistan by 19 runs in the final at Karogi Sports Park in Nisshin.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team. “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,” he said.
This gold carries a special meaning. At Hangzhou in 2023, India’s first appearance at the Asian Games, the final against Afghanistan was abandoned due to rain with Afghanistan on 112/5 after 18.2 overs, and India were awarded gold as the higher-seeded side.