India upset China 3-2 to enter Badminton Asia Team Championships quarterfinals

Shah Alam, Feb 14 (IANS) Indian women's team upset pre-tournament favourites China 3-2 in the group stage tie on Wednesday to enter the quarterfinals of the Badminton Asia Team Championships (BATC) after six years.

Two Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, reigning national champion Anmol Kharb and women’s doubles duo Treesa-Gayatri helped Team India register this remarkable win.

The BATC saw Sindhu making comeback to competitive badminton for the first time since she was sidelined due to a knee injury she suffered at the French Open last October.

Sindhu secured victory in the first match of the tie, defeating Yue Han in straight games within 40 minutes. However, the Chinese team swiftly equalized the score to 1-1 as Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto, the doubles pair, lost in straight games with scores of 19-21, 16-21.

In the third rubber, Ashmita Chaliha suffered a straight games defeat to Zhi Yi Wang with scores of 13-21, 15-21. This put China in a favourable position to secure the win in the tie.

However, the dynamic pair of Gayatri Gopichand and Jolly Treesa turned the tables with an impressive performance as they triumphed 10-21, 21-18, 21-17 in three games against Yi Jing Li and Xu Min Luo, levelling the tie at 2-all.

Then, the onus was on 16-year-old Anmol Kharb, who emerged victorious in a thrilling three-game contest against Wu Luo Yu, with scores of 22-20, 14-21, 21-18. The intense battle lasted for an hour and 18 minutes, ultimately securing a sensational win for India.

The Badminton Asia Team Championships 2024 will offer valuable Race to Paris 2024 ranking points, which will be crucial for shuttlers looking to compete at the upcoming Olympic Games.

The 2024 edition of the biennial continental team championships will also serve as the Asian qualifiers for the 2024 Thomas and Uber Cup to be held in Chengdu, China in April-May.