New Delhi,
September 29: BJP MP Manoj Tiwari on Monday praised the Indian team for refusing to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the PCB and the Interior Minister of Pakistan. India beat Pakistan by five wickets in the final on Sunday in Dubai.
"Everyone is happy. India needs to play in the international tournament, and we cannot change the rules... But the Indian team did a great job by not accepting the trophy from the hands of a Pakistani official," Tiwari told ANI.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya took a jibe at Pakistan on Monday after their defeat.
Reiterating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Operation Sindoor on the games field" remark, Mandaviya wrote on X, "Lost on the border, lost in the field too."
Meanwhile, former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik congratulated the Indian team on its victory and lauded its unbeaten run in the tournament.
"Congratulate Indian Cricket Team on their spectacular win over Pakistan in the nail-biting Asia Cup Final to lift the cup. The team remained unbeaten throughout the tournament with their all-round performance. May the team continue its winning momentum to bring laurels for the country. Best wishes," Patnaik wrote on X.
After the victory greetings poured in after the Indian team lifted the Asia Cup with a five-wicket win against Pakistan in a tense run-chase.
Tilak Varma's clutch knock of 69* in 53 balls and his useful half-century stands with Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube helped India to their second T20I Asia Cup title and overall ninth title, including the ODI editions.
India won the toss and elected to field first. An 84-run stand between Sahidzada Farhan (57 in 38 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes) and Fakhar Zaman (46 in 35 balls, with two fours and two sixes) gave Pakistan the headstart they needed. However, spinners Kuldeep Yadav (4/30) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/30) managed to pull the momentum back in the middle overs, as Pakistan's batting order collapsed from 113/1 in 12.4 overs to 146 all out in 19.1 overs, with Jasprit Bumrah (2/25) also getting the final two wickets.
During the run-chase, India sank to 20/3 after an initial burst from Faheem Ashraf (3/29). However, Tilak Varma (69* in 53 balls, with three fours and four sixes), stitched a 57-run stand with Sanju Samson (24 in 21 balls, with two fours and a six) to bring India back into the game. Shivam Dube (33 in 22 balls, with two fours and two sixes) delivered some carnage with Tilak, solidifying India's hold on the game despite some occasional brilliance from Pakistan. In the end, Rinku Singh hit the winning runs to seal the victory.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While I understand the sentiment, I feel sports should be kept separate from politics. The trophy ceremony is about celebrating cricket excellence, and this gesture might take away from the team's amazing achievement. The players worked hard and deserved a proper celebration.
Tilak Varma's innings was pure class! The way he handled pressure when we were 20/3 shows the mental strength of our young players. Future of Indian cricket looks bright with such talent. ðŸ
As someone who has lived in India for 5 years now, I must say the passion for cricket here is incredible! The entire nation comes together during these matches. Congratulations to Team India for their outstanding performance throughout the tournament.
Kuldeep Yadav's 4/30 was the turning point! Our spin bowling attack completely dismantled Pakistan's batting lineup. Perfect execution of plans by the team management. So proud of our boys! 💙
The political statements from ministers after the match seem unnecessary. Let's focus on celebrating the cricket victory rather than making it about border politics. The players' performance should be the main story here.
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