Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], October 3 (ANI): The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Mithun Manhas on Saturday hailed the Indian men's cricket team for winning the gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games after defeating arch-rivals Pakistan, praising the side's performance and ability to handle high-pressure situations.

Team India made history, delivering a double gold in cricket. After the women's team, the men's team beat Pakistan in the gold medal clash by 19 runs at the ongoing Asian Games on Saturday, on the back of heroic efforts from Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma and Axar Patel.

Speaking to reporters after India's triumph, Manhas described the team as the best side of the tournament and said its performance in the high-pressure final was particularly praiseworthy.

'They are by far the best team of the tournament; we have won this title nine times before and are the defending champions. The performance they have displayed this time is truly praiseworthy. They defeated arch-rivals Pakistan-though I feel the competition level isn't quite what it used to be-and the way our team handles high-pressure situations is something no other team in the country can match. It is a day of great joy, and the whole nation should celebrate. I would also like to thank Jay Shah once again; he played a significant role in building this team-and not just the men's team; our women's team also won the World Cup, and his contribution there was immense...' Manhas said.

India opted to bat first after winning the toss. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's blitz of 15 in nine balls, with two sixes, was a short-lived one, but Abhishek Sharma delivered an explosive fifty, scoring 61 in 28 balls, with three fours and seven sixes. 

Ishan Kishan (20) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (21) kept the ship steady, laying down the platform for Tilak Verma (51* in 22 balls, with three fours and four sixes) and Shivam Dube (27* in 15 balls, with a four and two sixes) to take India to 211/6, with the pair putting up a 62-run stand for the sixth wicket. 

During the chase, Pakistan was down at 39/3, but Hasan Nawaz (96 in 51 balls, with five fours and seven sixes) fought, with Pakistan restricted to 192/6. Axar Patel and Washington Sundar (2/29) delivered sensational spells, while Shivam Dube (2/33) also took two wickets. 

Following India's Asian Games men's cricket gold medal win, stand-in coach VVS Laxman expressed that it was special to secure the back-to-back gold medal after the 2022 Hangzhou triumph and credited his players for their preparation and staying switched on despite the weather and limited facilities. 

Speaking about the win to the media, Laxman said, 'It was quite challenging since the time we came to Japan, you know, rain followed us in Tokyo (during the final against Afghanistan) and then to the venue here, but overall, I think the team really played well, and very happy with the result.'

Laxman reflected that there were barely any practice sessions and preparations, because of limited facilities and rain. He hailed his team for getting the best out of the indoor sessions in Tokyo.

'We hardly had any practice sessions, hardly had any preparation, and we also know that the practice facilities here-however limited they were- but because of the weather, we were not able to access the ground,' he said. 

'But mentally, I felt that everyone of them was really switched on, and even though we were indoors, whether in the hotel or we went to a couple of indoor sessions in Tokyo, everyone got the best out of the sessions which they participated in. And I think that is what you expect at the highest level: individually, can they prepare to the best of their abilities, irrespective of how challenging the conditions may be, so that when they represent the country, they are not compromising on the intensity,' he added. (ANI)