Press Trust of India
Hyderabad, Feb 19: India men’s impressive run in the Badminton Asia Team Championships continued as the hosts booked a semifinal berth with a hard fought 3-2 win over former champions Malaysia, but the women’s team bowed out after a 0-3 loss to Korea here Friday.
The win against Malaysia enabled the men’s team to qualify for the Thomas Cup which will be played in May this year. India will now take on Indonesia in the semifinals Saturday.
HS Prannoy won the deciding singles after India and Malaysia were locked 2-2 in the five-match tie at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium here. Prannoy beat Teck Zhi Soo 21-12, 22-20 in a tense match to seal victory for the hosts.
Prannoy, currently ranked 27 in the world, won the first game easily but his lower-ranked Malaysian rival came back strongly in the second game which turned out to be a battle of wits. He, however, had the last laugh, narrowly winning the second game after deuce to set off celebrations.
Earlier, India’s captain Kidambi Srikanth, who remained unbeaten in the group matches, was in his elements once again in the first singles match as he hardly broke a sweat in his 21-14 21-15 win against Malaysia’s Zulfadli Zulkiffli. In doubles Manu Attri and Sumeet Reddy beat Juan Shen Low and Kiang Meng Tan 10-21, 22-20, 21-16 to seal a crucial victory for the hosts.
Ajay Jayaram however, lost his singles match to Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin 21-17, 12-21, 16-21, while the doubles combo of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Akshay Dewalkar went down fighting to Malaysia’s duo of Yew Sin Ong and Ee Yi Tieo 14-21, 21-14, 12-21. But then Prannoy saved his best for the last.
“I am very happy to see our men’s team pull off a superb victory over Malaysia. I am confident our team will maintain the same tempo when they face Indonesia,” chief coach Pullela Gopichand said.
However, it was a heartbreak for the Indian women. PV Sindhu lost to Korea’s World No.6, Ji Hyun Sung 13-21, 14-21. Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa fought hard but went down 15-21, 22-20, 13-21 to Kyung Eun Jung and Seung Chan Shin of Korea.
In the second singles, Yeon Ju Bae trounced PC Thulasi 11-21, 21-14, 21-15 to win the tie for her country.
