Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his heartfelt congratulations to India’s men’s squash team for their historic gold medal victory at the 19th Asian Games. Comprising Mahesh Mangaonkar, Saurav Ghosal, Harinder Sandhu, and Abhay Singh, the team secured gold by defeating Pakistan 2-1 in a high-intensity final.
PM Modi expressed his delight on ‘X’, formerly Twitter, saying, “Congratulations to our Squash Men’s Team of the talented SauravGhosal, abhaysinghk98, sandhu_harinder and maheshmangao on a spectacular victory at the Asian Games and bringing home the coveted Gold Medal. This effort will inspire so many young athletes to pursue sports and excel in it. India is delighted!”
In the first match, Pakistan’s Iqbal gave his team a 1-0 lead in the tie. However, veteran Saurav Ghosal turned the tide in India’s favor with a dominant 11-5, 11-1, 11-3 win against Muhammad Asim Khan in the second match.
Abhay Singh took an early 4-point lead in the decisive match against Pakistan’s Noor Zaman. Abhay won the first game of the crucial final match. The contest showcased incredible athleticism and skill, with Zaman leveling the match at 1 game apiece.
In the fourth game, an unforced error from Zaman allowed Abhay Singh to make a comeback. The decider was a thrilling battle, but Abhay’s expertise in court angles and a crucial error from Zaman gave India the gold medal.
This victory marked India’s second-ever gold medal in squash at the Asian Games.