In a thrilling final, veteran Indian squash players Dipika Pallikal and Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu secured the gold medal in mixed doubles at the Asian Games. The Indian duo managed to clinch victory with a score of 11-10, 11-10 over the Malaysian pair Aifa Binti Azman and Mohammad Syafiq Bin Mohd Kamal. This victory contributed to India’s best-ever performance in squash at the Asian Games.
The win marked India’s second gold medal in squash at the ongoing event, with the first being a historic gold in the men’s team event in the 2014 Games. In addition to the gold medals, India has also secured a bronze in this year’s Games.
After their impressive win, Dipika Pallikal expressed her joy, stating, “I don’t always remember what happens on the court. It’s a blur for both of us. We only remember the last point. We are more than happy. We are very proud of the fact we are here and won gold.” She added, “Myself and Harinder have worked really, really hard to be here at this moment, to be part of this team and to win the gold. We are very humbled to be in this position that we are right now.”
The match was tightly contested, particularly in the opening game, where both pairs were neck and neck. Dipika’s fantastic forehand play helped India secure the first game after saving two game points. In the second game, the Indian duo initially held a commanding lead of 9-3. However, the Malaysians made a strong comeback by capitalizing on Dipika and Harinder’s slower movement, leveling the score to 10-10. The game became even tenser as the 10-9 point had to be replayed multiple times due to obstruction (let). Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu eventually sealed the victory with two backhand winners.
The Asian Games continue, and India looks forward to more success in squash and other events.
