The Indian contingent impressed everyone with their brilliant performances at Asian Games 2023 and finished with a historic haul of 107 medals. It included 28 gold medals – a record for India in the history of the competition – as well as 38 silver medals and 41 bronze medals. India were on the verge of reaching the 100-medal mark at the start of Saturday’s order of play and with gold medals in men’s and women’s kabaddi, men’s cricket and men’s doubles badminton, they were able to finish the Asiad on a high. (Asian Games Medals Tally)
On the other hand, Pakistan could only manage to win 3 medals at Asian Games 2023 – one silver and two bronze. The two bronze medals came in kabaddi and shooting while the silver medal came in the men’s team squash event where they were beaten by India in a hard-fought summit clash.
The Indian men’s kabaddi team emerged victorious after an hour of arguments to reclaim its Asian Games title, beating defending champions Iran 33-29 in a controversial final, which was temporarily suspended, on Saturday.
The women’s team survived by the skin of its teeth as it beat Chinese Taipei 26-25 in a dramatic final for the country’s 100th medal.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty earned India’s first-ever badminton gold medal at the Asian Games with a straight-game win over South Korea’s Choi Solgyu and Kim Wonho in Hangzhou on Sunday.
World number 3 Satwik and Chirag, who had become the first Indians to win the Asian championships in 58 years in March this year, extended their sensational run with a 21-18 21-16 win over Choi and Kim, ranked 15th, to achieve their crowing glory.
It was also India’s first medal in men’s doubles in 41 years since Leroy D’sa and Pradeep Gandhe won a bronze in 1982 edition.
The Indian men’s cricket team clinched the gold medal on its Asian Games debut after their final against Afghanistan was called off due to rain, and the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side was adjudged winners by virtue of being seeded higher in the continental showpiece on Saturday.
Put in to bat, Afghanistan were 112 for 5 in 18.2 overs when persistent rain halted the proceedings at the Zhejiang University of Technology Cricket Field, and the match never restarted from that point.
(With PTI inputs)
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