MoS Sports Nisith Pramanik congratulates Team India on win over Pakistan in Asia Cup 2022 clash
Aug 29, 2022
New Delhi [India], August 29 : Minister of State of Sports Ministry Nisith Pramanik on Monday congratulated Team India on their five-wicket win over Pakistan in their Asia Cup 2022 campaign opener.
The crucial partnership between Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya helped India defeat arch-rivals Pakistan in a thrilling clash by five wickets in the second match of the Asia Cup 2022 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
"I heartily congratulate team India on their victory, they played so well. We always win against Pakistan but it is a game. Losing and winning is part of it," the minister said.
Pakistan were bundled out for 148 in 19.4 overs. Opener Mohammed Rizwan (43) and Iftikhar Ahmed (28) were the only ones who could contribute something decent with the bat.
The pace and short-length deliveries of Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4/26), Hardik Pandya (3/25) and Arshdeep Singh (2/33) and Avesh Khan (1/19) blew away Pakistani batters and wickets fell at a regular rate.
Chasing 149, India lost KL Rahul for a duck in the very first over. After this, Virat Kohli (35) anchored the innings and formed a 49-run stand with skipper Rohit Sharma (12), who largely struggled at the other end. Twin strikes from Mohammed Nawaz, who took Sharma and Kohli's wickets restricted India to 3/53.
Following this, a 36-run stand between Ravindra Jadeja and Suryakumar Yadav helped moving the scoreboard, before Suryakumar fell to debutant Naseem Shah for 18. A 52-run stand between Jadeja (35) and Hardik Pandya (33*) followed, which took India close to a win and in-form Pandya finished the proceedings with a six with two balls to spare, giving India a five-wicket win.
Nawaz (3/33) and Naseem Shah (2/27) bowled really well for Pakistan, though not enough to give them a win.
Pandya was adjudged as 'Man of the Match' for his all-round performance.
The minister also paid floral tributes to Major Dhyan Chand on the occasion of National Sports Day, which is celebrated on the birth anniversary of the late hockey legend. Pramanik said that sports should be celebrated, given how well the country's sportspersons do at global events. 
The National Sports Day will be celebrated across 250-plus centres of Sports Authority of India across the country.
"We saw Olympics, Paralympics among several others where our sportspersons excelled. Sports should be celebrated. We are celebrating today in over 250 Sports Authority of India centres like a festival," said the minister.
National Sports Day is being celebrated across the country today. On this day, people are encouraged to take out some time out of their day to play their favourite sport and inculcate the habit of playing sports in day-to-day life to keep themselves fit physically and mentally.
It is celebrated as a tribute to Major Dhyan Chand, one of India's greatest hockey players ever. He was known for his goal-scoring ability and for superb ball control.
He is a three-time Olympics gold medal winner, part of the Indian hockey team which won gold in the 1928, 1932 and 1936 editions of the Olympics. In his 185 appearances for the country, he scored 570 goals for India.
