Wins & losses are part of life: PM on Indian hockey team's semifinal defeat in Olympics

After the Indian men's hockey team lost to Belgium in the Olympics semi-final, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said wins and losses are a part of life and India is proud of its players.

The Indian men's hockey team's dream of entering the Olympics final after 41 years remained unfulfilled as it lost 2-5 to world champions Belgium in the last-four stage but the side is still in the hunt for a bronze in the Tokyo Games.

"Wins and losses are a part of life. Our Men's Hockey Team at #Tokyo2020 gave their best and that is what counts," Modi tweeted.

Wishing the Team the very best for the next match and their future endeavours, he said, adding that "India is proud of our players".

The prime minister also spoke with Manpreet Singh, the captain of the hockey team, after the semi-final match, officials said.

Modi appreciated the team's good performance throughout the tournament and wished them luck for the next game, they said.

When the match was in progress, Modi tweeted, "I'm watching the India vs Belgium Hockey Men's Semi Final at #Tokyo2020. Proud of our team and their skills. Wishing them the very best!"

The Indians still have a chance to secure an elusive medal from the Olympics as they will feature in the bronze medal match on Thursday.