Finance
The Indian men’s badminton team defeated Malaysia 3-2 to advance to the Thomas Cup semifinals for the first time in 43 years, but the women’s team was eliminated after losing 0-3 to Thailand in the Uber Cup in Bangkok on Thursday. As a result, India is guaranteed at least a bronze medal at the Thomas Cup. Since 1979, the country has not won a medal at the event.
India had previously won three bronze medals in inter-zonal competitions. However, this is the country’s first medal at the prestigious tournament since the qualifying format was changed.
Up against a team that has won the title five times, the world number eight pairing of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, as well as world championships silver medalist Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy, rose to the occasion to send India home.
India’s next opponent will be either Korea or Denmark.
Lakshya Sen, the bronze medalist at the World Championships, couldn’t go the distance in the first singles, losing 21-23 9-21 to reigning world champion Lee Zii Jia in 46 minutes.
With Malaysian fans thronging the Impact Arena, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy took to the court and delivered a superb performance to defeat world number 13 Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin 21-19 21-15 to bring India back in the five-match tie.
The Indian pair went all-out in the final phase of the second game, setting up five match points, which Chirag converted with a smash, leaving the Indian camp ecstatic.
Srikanth used his superior and varied strokeplay to defeat world number 46 NG Tze Yong 21-11 21-17, giving India a 2-1 lead.
The world number 45 combination of Krishna Prasad Garaga and Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala were tasked with defeating Aaron Chia and Teo Ee Yi, and the Indian pair gave it their all before losing 19-21 17-21 in the decider.
In the final match, world number 23 HS Prannoy handled the pressure well, erasing a 1-6 deficit early in the first game to eventually canter to a 21-13 21-8 win over 22-year-old Jun Hao Leong as India completed a fantastic come-from-behind victory.
Prannoy’s teammates rushed onto the court to celebrate when he hit the game-winning smash.
Earlier, P V Sindhu battled hard before losing to Ratchanok Intanon as the Indian women’s team crashed out of the Uber Cup Finals after being drubbed 0-3 by Thailand in the quarterfinals.
No. 7 in the world Sindhu struggled for the second day in a row, squandering a one-game lead to lose 21-18 17-21 12-21 to eighth-ranked Intanon in a 59-minute first women’s singles match.
Sindhu now trails Intanon 4-7 in head-to-head competition.
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The women’s doubles pair of Shruti Mishra and Simran Singhi fell 16-21 13-21 to the Thai pair of Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai, putting India down 2-0.
Aakarshi Kashyap fared no better, losing 16-21 11-21 to Pornpawee Chochuwong in the second singles match, which lasted 42 minutes, as Thailand completed a 3-0 thrashing, rendering the remaining two matches of the tie irrelevant.
Source:NDTV
