19th Asian Games: India gets 20th gold medal after duo Dipika-Harinder wins squash mixed doubles

19th Asian Games: Every day, India is achieving new highs at the ongoing 19th Asian Games at Hangzhou making the country proud by clinching 83 medals with 20 gold, 31 silver and 32 bronze medals. 

In a spectacular display of skill and determination, Indian athletes displayed unwavering determination and resilience, diving deep into their skillset to secure the victory and the gold medals. 

With their fierce performance, Indian duo Dipika Pallikal and Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu won the final of the mixed doubles on Thursday thus clinching 20th Gold Medal for India. 

The best pair Dipika-Harinder defeated Malaysian pair Aifa Binti Azman/Mohammad Syafiq Bin Mohd Kamal in a close encounter. They won the match in 35 minutes in straight games 11-10, 11-10.

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Malaysia had the upper hand in the first game; however, India made a comeback and won by just one point 11-10.

In the second game, India had a 9-3 lead but later allowed Malaysia to tie. However, Sandhu gained two important points to guarantee that they would secure the 20th gold medal.

Marking as a historic moment for India, Sports Authority of India (SAI) took to their X handle (former Twitter) and wrote, "Indian Squash Reigns Supreme! Our dynamic mixed doubles team of @DipikaPallikal and @sandhu_harinder clinches GOLD, defeating Malaysia by a score of 2-0 in the final at #AsianGames2022! Join us in celebrating this golden achievement and sending them our heartfelt congratulations!"

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Our dynamic mixed doubles team of @DipikaPallikal and @sandhu_harinder clinches GOLD, defeating Malaysia by a score of 2-0 in the final at #AsianGames2022!????????

Join us in celebrating this golden achievement and sending… pic.twitter.com/d1GiaRVh4q — SAI Media (@Media_SAI) October 5, 2023

Earlier, on Wednesday showcasing their skills and extraordinary performance, Dipika and Harinder advanced to the finals of the mixed doubles competition. In their mixed doubles semifinal, they beat the Hong Kong duo of Lee Ka Yi and Wong Chi Him by 2-1.

However, Dipika and Harinder showed some amazing resilience and character, clinching the second game by 11-7 in a one-sided manner.

Earlier Saurav Ghosal assured India of another medal from the squash court defeatin Hong Kong's Chi Hin Henry Leung 3-0 in the semi-final of men's singles squash competition.

Indian athletes are dominating the ongoing Asian Games with their splendid and remarkable achievement and stands as an inspirational tale for budding athletes nationwide. Athletes’  unwavering commitment and enthusiasm have established a fresh standard for excellence in Indian sports serve as an enduring source of motivation for future generations.

- With inputs from agencies

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