'It happens only in India': Chirag Shetty on receiving call from PM Modi after historic Thomas Cup win
May 17, 2022
Bangkok [Thailand], May 17 : Indian shuttler Chirag Shetty expressed happiness after Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Team India on winning the historic Thomas Cup.
The Indian team scripted history on Sunday by winning the first-ever Thomas Cup crown ever since its inception in 1949.
On this occasion, PM Modi held a special interaction with the team and congratulated them on reaching such a great height.
"I have never seen a Prime Minister actually calling a sports team after a win. It happens only in India & it motivated us to a whole new level. We were very happy that he took out time from his busy schedule and congratulated us on our victory," Chirag Shetty told ANI.
In the final match on Sunday, India registered a hard-fought yet convincing win against 14-time champions Indonesia.
"It feels really really good. The way we played, I think it's one of the happiest days of my life. It feels like a fairytale because beating Indonesia in a Thomas Cup final and that too 3-0, it could not have got any better," said Chirag.
The pair of Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy survived four match points to come back and snatch the win in the second game, 23-21.
"I think at 20-17, we got a point and it was 20-18, and after that it was a big rally. Our opponents hit a tap on the nets and that was a lucky one for us. The luck started changing from there in our favour and even we also played some really good and smart strokes which got us the second game. The third game was a lot more in our favour. After getting down at 14-11, we kept our cool and took the lead and maintained it till the very end," said the shuttler.
The Indian team, featuring Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty and others, have given a good account of themselves at this year's tournament.
