Nisshin, Sep 22 (IANS): Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha heaped praise on the Indian women’s team for winning the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 on Tuesday, calling the moment a proud one and expecting the Indian contingent to bag many more gold medals at the ongoing Asiad in Aichi-Nagoya.
She also revealed that she asked the Japanese Asian Games organising committee to add cricket to the Asiad, just like it was part of the Hangzhou 2023 Games.
“I’m happy that the cricketers won the gold medal and we will get more gold medals, no doubt,” PT Usha told IANS in an exclusive interaction. “I requested the Japan Asian Games organising committee coordination committee to add men’s and women’s cricket in the Games. I wanted to see the cricket, and I am happy that the players have won a gold medal, a proud moment,” she added.
The IOA president will be meeting the women’s cricket team after its triumph. “I could not meet them earlier here; we have met many times previously. But I’ll meet them here too. I saw the game here when they were playing,” she added.
The Indian women’s cricket team starred in both the departments to defend their gold medal. Smriti Mandhana’s 79 led them to a record 216/3 in the final, while Deepti Sharma, Shafali Verma, Shreyanka Patil and Sree Charani shared nine wickets to power India to a huge 147-run victory.
This is India’s first gold medal at the ongoing Asiad and seventh overall. The Women in Blue had won the gold in the previous edition of the Games too and have now defended their title against the same team.
