'We had to work Hard': Sanju Samson is 'Happy' with achievement after India win Gold at Asian Games

Sanju Samson says India worked hard for their glory after the men's team successfully defended their gold medal at the Asian Games 2026.

India retained their Asian Games gold medal after a 19-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in the final at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan.

India, who had beaten Sri Lanka by 124 runs in the semifinal, posted a formidable 211/6 after opting to bat first. Abhishek Sharma set the tone with a blistering 61 off 28 balls, while Tilak Varma provided a stunning finish with an unbeaten 51 off just 22 deliveries.

Samson, batting at No. 3, could contribute only two runs from four balls before being dismissed by Ahmed Daniyal. However, he remained involved behind the stumps and completed the catch that dismissed Pakistan's Hasan Nawaz for 96 off 51 balls in the final over, effectively sealing India's victory.

Pakistan finished on 192/6 despite Nawaz's counter-attacking innings, leaving India to celebrate a second successive men's cricket gold at the Asian Games.

Reflecting on the triumph, Samson admitted that the team had to work hard for the medal and highlighted the contrasting conditions across India's two matches in the tournament.

"It's a great feeling. We've only played two matches, and the conditions were different in both. The final was really tight. They played very well. It feels like we had to work really hard to win the gold," Samson said after the match.

The wicketkeeper-batter also acknowledged the pressure of a high-stakes final against Pakistan, particularly in a high-scoring contest where both teams had opportunities to take control.

"It's a game, so it could have gone either way. They also came here to play well. It was a good wicket, and nearly 400 runs were scored. We didn't expect the game to turn out like that. But our bowlers bowled really well," he added.

For Samson, the gold medal was a satisfying conclusion to the tournament, and he admitted he was not looking too far ahead after the achievement. The Kerala-born will be part of the upcoming T20I series against West Indies, which starts in a couple of days.

"I don't have any big ambitions right now. I'm happy with what I've achieved, and I'm going back home happily. This is my first time in Japan. It's a great country with really nice people and a good system. We enjoyed ourselves a lot. I feel there is good scope for cricket here. If there are a few more facilities, I think cricket can really grow here," he concluded.