India enters Asian Games day with shooting, cricket and athletics in focus

India begins September 28 at the Asian Games in 12th place on the medal table, with 37 medals comprising four golds, 16 silvers and 17 bronzes. The Indian contingent added seven medals on September 27 through athletics and squash, but the absence of a gold saw the country fall from 10th to 12th. Athletics provided most of the latest medals, with Ancy Sojan and Sarvesh Kushare winning silver, while Parul Chaudhary, Tejaswin Shankar and Harita Bhadra took bronze.

Squash contributed two silver medals through Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh. In boxing, Ankush Panghal, Parveen Hooda and Narender Berwal reached the semifinals, guaranteeing each boxer at least a bronze medal while leaving places in the finals to be decided. Manu Bhaker returns to action in the women’s 25m pistol events alongside Esha Singh and Rahi Sarnobat.

The schedule includes team and individual competitions. Bhaker finished fifth in the 10m air pistol final, while India’s women’s team did not win a medal in that event. The men’s cricket team faces Afghanistan in a quarter-final.

India narrowly defeated Japan in a rain-shortened five-over warm-up, scoring 32 for four before restricting Japan to 30 for three. The quarter-final represents a stronger test as the knockout stage begins. Indian athletes are also scheduled to compete in finals and qualifying rounds across athletics, archery, shooting, sailing, judo, boxing, tennis, hockey and team events.

The programme includes Avinash Sable in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase final, Sreeshankar Murali in the men’s long jump final and Indian competitors in men’s and women’s relay events. Other scheduled appearances include Lovlina Borgohain in the women’s 75kg boxing quarter-final, Pinky Balhara in the women’s under-78kg judo quarter-final and Seema and Sanya Yadav in the women’s discus throw final. India’s teams are also listed to face China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Bangladesh in various events.