'Gold is gold, had tears in my eyes': Smriti gets candid

'This is a really special feeling because we don't get the chance every day to win a Gold medal, especially at a stage like the Asian Games'

Star Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana expressed her overwhelming joy on winning a gold medal at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou.

She revealed that tears welled up in her eyes as the national anthem played during the medal ceremony. Mandhana emphasized the significance of the moment and her pride in contributing to India's medal tally in this prestigious multi-sport event.

She stated, "This is very special. We have seen this on TV. When Neeraj Chopra won the Gold, I had a match... the manner in which the National Anthem was played and India's National Flag went up, I think it was pretty special, and I had tears in my eyes... really happy that we could contribute to the medal tally of the Indian contingent... gold is gold... really happy that we gave our best today," as reported by ANI.

In the women's cricket tournament at the ongoing Hangzhou Asian Games, India successfully defended a total of 117 runs to secure the gold medal.

Titas Sadhu's exceptional spell and superb spin bowling performances from Deepti Sharma and Devika Vaidya played a pivotal role in this victory. The Indian women's team clinched the gold medal in their first-ever appearance at the Asian Games, defeating Sri Lanka in the final by 19 runs in Hangzhou on Monday.

Sadhu said, "This is a really special feeling because we don't get the chance every day to win a Gold medal, especially at a stage like the Asian Games...I can convey my feelings only like - goosebumps. It is thrilling to be standing there with the National Anthem, playing because it is a tribute to not just us but our country."

Shafali Verma also said that she feels proud to win the gold. "Of course, it feels great because we work hard to win. We won and we are delighted. We feel proud. Thanks to India for all the support. If (we get an opportunity) at the Olympics, we will give our everything and win Gold there too," Verma said.

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah lauded the Indian Women's team for their outstanding achievement at the Asian Games. He expressed his congratulations on social media, saying, "Indian women's cricket team wins Gold at the #AsianGames with a dominant win over Sri Lanka, led by 18-year-old sensation #TitasSadhu's bowling brilliance (3 for 6). Congratulations to the team and support staff for this historic achievement!"

Nita Ambani, the Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, also extended her praise to the Indian women's team, emphasizing the historic nature of their win at the Asian Games 2022.

She said, "Congratulations, Team India! What a golden debut at the Asian Games 2022! You have made the country proud and inspired generations to come with your historic win. Our women’s team has shown once again that with the right support, belief, and collective spirit, our girls are unstoppable!"

This year has been particularly remarkable for women’s cricket in India, from their spirited performance in the T20 World Cup to the historic Women's Premier League (WPL) and now their triumph at the Asian Games.