<p>Experienced Saurav Ghosal, Harpinder Singh register fighting victories for historic success.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Saurav Ghosal made up for his massive singles meltdown, winning a cliffhanger against Ong Beng Hee to help India nail its third gold medal on a delightful Saturday at the Asian Games here.<br /><br />Ghosal, who allowed the singles gold to slip through his fingers in agonising fashion, appeared headed towards another collapse but the 28-year-old showed great character in downing Ong and power India to a 2-0 victory over Malaysia in the men’s team championship final at the Yeorumul Squash Courts.<br /><br />The women, however, had to settle for the silver earlier, losing 0-2 to favourites Malaysia.After Harpinder Singh had won the opening singles rubber 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4 against Mohammad Iskander, the onus was on Ghosal to help squash register its first ever gold at the Asian Games and add to the cheer that had crept into the Indian contingent following the archers’ historic feat in the morning.<br /><br />Ghosal started poorly, losing the opening game rather tamely 6-11. However, he found his spark in the second, running Ong ragged with his guile and power, winning it 11-7 before speeding away in the third 11-6.<br /><br />The fourth game was close affair with Ong regaining his rhythm and testing Saurav. Things looked very tight at 10-10 when a mistake from Ong could have cost his country a medal but the 24-year-old held his nerve in stroking ahead 13-12, pushing the match into a decider.<br /><br />The tension seemed written all over the face of Saurav, the wounds of the painful collapse from championship point against Kuwaiti Abdullah Almezayen still fresh. Totally downcast then and having said he doesn’t know how long it would take for him to recover mentally from that blow, Saurav was in a spot and the Indian camp seemed a bit nervous as well.But, Saurav put all that behind in thumping fashion, sending the team into delirium after winning the pulsating final game 11-9 and with it the gold medal for India.<br /><br />“That thought crossed my mind,” Saurav said when asked if the singles loss came back to haunt him. “But, I told myself, if I lose again, I would be letting my team down, letting my country down. I didn’t want that to happen and gave it my all. “This is the most important moment in my life. This is the first time that squash has won a gold for India at Asiad. To be a part of that is something magical. And, to comeback after that blow-up in the singles is something great. I’ll never forget this Asian Games.”<br /><br />The women earlier, sadly, went down tamely. Although they didn’t have much of chance with the irrepressible Nicol David in the Malaysian ranks, the lack of fight didn’t paint a pretty picture. Anaka Alankamony lost 9-11, 10-12, 2-11 to Odetta Delia Arnold while Dipika Pallikal suffered a 7-11, 6-11, 3-11 loss to Nicol.<br />Results, final: Team event: Men: India bt Malaysia 2-0 (Harpinder Singh bt Mohammad Iskander 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4; Saurav Ghosal bt Ong Beng Hee 6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 12-14, 11-9). Women: Malaysia bt India 2-0 (Odetta Delia Arnold bt Anaka Alankamony 11-9, 12-10, 11-2; Nicol David bt Dipika Pallikal 11-7, 11-6, 11-3). </p>
<p>Experienced Saurav Ghosal, Harpinder Singh register fighting victories for historic success.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Saurav Ghosal made up for his massive singles meltdown, winning a cliffhanger against Ong Beng Hee to help India nail its third gold medal on a delightful Saturday at the Asian Games here.<br /><br />Ghosal, who allowed the singles gold to slip through his fingers in agonising fashion, appeared headed towards another collapse but the 28-year-old showed great character in downing Ong and power India to a 2-0 victory over Malaysia in the men’s team championship final at the Yeorumul Squash Courts.<br /><br />The women, however, had to settle for the silver earlier, losing 0-2 to favourites Malaysia.After Harpinder Singh had won the opening singles rubber 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4 against Mohammad Iskander, the onus was on Ghosal to help squash register its first ever gold at the Asian Games and add to the cheer that had crept into the Indian contingent following the archers’ historic feat in the morning.<br /><br />Ghosal started poorly, losing the opening game rather tamely 6-11. However, he found his spark in the second, running Ong ragged with his guile and power, winning it 11-7 before speeding away in the third 11-6.<br /><br />The fourth game was close affair with Ong regaining his rhythm and testing Saurav. Things looked very tight at 10-10 when a mistake from Ong could have cost his country a medal but the 24-year-old held his nerve in stroking ahead 13-12, pushing the match into a decider.<br /><br />The tension seemed written all over the face of Saurav, the wounds of the painful collapse from championship point against Kuwaiti Abdullah Almezayen still fresh. Totally downcast then and having said he doesn’t know how long it would take for him to recover mentally from that blow, Saurav was in a spot and the Indian camp seemed a bit nervous as well.But, Saurav put all that behind in thumping fashion, sending the team into delirium after winning the pulsating final game 11-9 and with it the gold medal for India.<br /><br />“That thought crossed my mind,” Saurav said when asked if the singles loss came back to haunt him. “But, I told myself, if I lose again, I would be letting my team down, letting my country down. I didn’t want that to happen and gave it my all. “This is the most important moment in my life. This is the first time that squash has won a gold for India at Asiad. To be a part of that is something magical. And, to comeback after that blow-up in the singles is something great. I’ll never forget this Asian Games.”<br /><br />The women earlier, sadly, went down tamely. Although they didn’t have much of chance with the irrepressible Nicol David in the Malaysian ranks, the lack of fight didn’t paint a pretty picture. Anaka Alankamony lost 9-11, 10-12, 2-11 to Odetta Delia Arnold while Dipika Pallikal suffered a 7-11, 6-11, 3-11 loss to Nicol.<br />Results, final: Team event: Men: India bt Malaysia 2-0 (Harpinder Singh bt Mohammad Iskander 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4; Saurav Ghosal bt Ong Beng Hee 6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 12-14, 11-9). Women: Malaysia bt India 2-0 (Odetta Delia Arnold bt Anaka Alankamony 11-9, 12-10, 11-2; Nicol David bt Dipika Pallikal 11-7, 11-6, 11-3). </p>
