‘Pakistan don’t offer much competition’: BCCI takes swipe after Asian Games final
BCCI president Mithun Manhas criticized the competitiveness of the Pakistan cricket team following India's gold medal victory at the 2026 Asian Games. He praised the Indian team's ability to handle pressure and highlighted the strong performances of Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma.
Why it matters
Public comments from high-ranking sports officials regarding India-Pakistan rivalries often carry significant cultural and political weight in South Asia.
BCCI president Mithun Manhas praised India’s handling of pressure in the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket final against Pakistan, while taking a dig at the quality of competition offered by the arch-rivals in recent years.India secured one of their 21 gold medals at the Games after beating Pakistan by 19 runs in the final on Saturday, October 3, at the Korakuen Stadium in Nisshin, Japan. The closely fought contest saw Pakistan push India hard during the chase, but the defending champions held their nerve to retain the gold medal.Manhas, however, felt the result also highlighted what he believes is a decline in the competitiveness of India-Pakistan contests.“They defeated arch-rivals Pakistan, who I feel don't offer much competition anymore, and the way our team handled pressure situations...
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