Asian Games Medal Tally Day 14: India Win Boxing, Bridge Gold Medals, Silver In Women's Squash, Bronze in Men's Hockey

Indian boxer Amit Panghal opened India's medal tally on Day 14 of the Asian Games 2018 by winning a gold in men's Light Fly (49kg) event. Amit beat 2016 Olympic champion Hasanboy Dusmatov of Uzbekistan via a 3-2 split verdict. By virtue of this win, Amit also gave India their first gold in boxing at the 2018 Asiad. Adding to India's medal tally, the Indian pair of Pranab Bardhan/Shibnath Sarkar won gold medal in Bridge men's pair event. The 60-year-old Pranab and 56-year-old Shibhnath finished at the top after scoring 384 points in the finals. India's 2018 Asian Games gold medal tally now stands at 15.

Shibhnath Sarkar talking about the win, said, "I could not sleep last night and ate only fruit in breakfast. It's tough, the blood circulation shoots up with tension, we beat China and Singapore, it's great result for us."

Bardhan, who has a construction business, said, "Bridge is more challenging than chess. It's the most competitive indoor game."

Meanwhile, India clinched the silver medal after going down 0-2 to Hong Kong in women's team squash final. The Indian women's team comprising of Dipika Pallikal, Joshna Chinappa, Sunayna Kuruvilla and Tanvi Khanna were blanked by Hong Kong.

Later in the day, the Indian men's hockey team clinched a bronze medal at the Asian Games 2018. India defeated Pakistan 2-1 by a slender margin in the bronze medal play-off match.

For India, Akashdeep Singh (3rd minute) and Harmanpreet Singh (50th) were on target where as for Pakistan Atiq Muhammad (52nd) scored the lone goal.

India are now in eighth spot with a total of 69 medals (15 gold, 24 silver 30 bronze), surpassing their highest Asian Games tally of 65 medals at the 2010 Guangzhou edition.
 
Taking on Hasanboy Dusmatov of Uzbekistan in the final, 22-year-old Amit Panghal emerged victorious after showing a brilliant counter-attacking game against the Uzbekistan challenger. Amit, who made his debut at the Games, showed immense tactical brilliance, especially in defence to defeat his opponent.

This win marks the highest point of Amit's meteoric rise to the top, starting with an Asian Championships bronze last year. A world quarter-finalist, Amit claimed a silver in the Commonwealth Games.

Vijender Singh and Vikas Krishan were the last set of male gold-medallists for India at the Asian Games. They had won the yellow metal at the 2010 Guangzhou edition. In the 2014 Games, MC Mary Kom was the lone gold-medallist for India.