The Board of Control for Cricket in India hailed the Test series victory over Pakistan as a 'historic moment' and immediately announced a Rs five million (Rs 50 lakh) bonus for Sourav Ganguly and his boys.
"I join the rest of the country in congratulating the team on this historic win," an elated BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya said immediately after the team won the third Test by an innings and 131 runs on the fourth day in Rawalpindi and claimed the series 2-1.
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Dalmiya added: "It is the first time that an Indian team has won a Test series in Pakistan and we are proud of that.
"The team was brilliant. As a token of appreciation of the team's performance I announce a reward of Rs 50 lakh for the team."
The Board had earlier announced an award of Rs 50 lakh to the team following its 3-2 victory in the five-match One-Day International series.
Dalmiya said, "Winning the one-day series was creditable but, this spectacular win in the Test series has assumed more significance as it has happened for the first time in the more than 50 years of cricketing relations between the two countries."
The Board president added: "It is a historical occasion not because one team has won and another has lost but because we have been able to achieve the goal of bringing the people of two countries closer through cricket.
"Despite all apprehensions earlier, the series, first in 15 years, turned out to be fantastic. The real winner was cricket," Dalmiya said.
