The Indian women's badminton team created history on Saturday as it beat Japan 3-2 in the semifinal of the Badminton Asia Team Championships in Shah Alam, Malaysia, to reach the final for the first time in the history of the prestigious tournament. In the final, India will face Thailand, who defeated Indonesia 3-1 in the other semifinal.The national women's team, who has already secured a place in the Uber Cup by reaching the semifinal of the tournament, banked on the youngsters to register a thrilling win over Japan. India trailed 0-1 in the tie after PV Sindhu went down to Aya Ohori in straight games (13-21, 20-22) in the first match.Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, however, registered a thrilling three-game (21-17, 16-21, 22-20) win over world no. 6 Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida to help India draw level in the tie. Ashmita Chaliha, then, handed out experienced Japanese player Nozomi Okuhara a straight-game (21-17, 21-14) defeat. With Sindhu forming a scratch pair with Ashwini Ponnappa in the absence of injured Tanisha Crasto, Japanese duo Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakuramoto did not find it hard to beat the Indian pair 21-14, 21-11. Hence, in the deciding fifth match, the task fell on 17-year-old Anmol Kharb, who played just one match in the tournament against China, also in the deciding fifth match and won, showed her temperament and skills by taking down world no. 29 Natsuki Nidaira in straight games (21-14, 21-18). Her win helped India reach the final of the Badminton Asia Team Championships for the first time. Catch highlights:
The Indian women's badminton team created history on Saturday as it beat Japan 3-2 in the semifinal of the Badminton Asia Team Championships in Shah Alam, Malaysia, to reach the final for the first time in the history of the prestigious tournament. In the final, India will face Thailand, who defeated Indonesia 3-1 in the other semifinal.The national women's team, who has already secured a place in the Uber Cup by reaching the semifinal of the tournament, banked on the youngsters to register a thrilling win over Japan. India trailed 0-1 in the tie after PV Sindhu went down to Aya Ohori in straight games (13-21, 20-22) in the first match.Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, however, registered a thrilling three-game (21-17, 16-21, 22-20) win over world no. 6 Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida to help India draw level in the tie. Ashmita Chaliha, then, handed out experienced Japanese player Nozomi Okuhara a straight-game (21-17, 21-14) defeat. With Sindhu forming a scratch pair with Ashwini Ponnappa in the absence of injured Tanisha Crasto, Japanese duo Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakuramoto did not find it hard to beat the Indian pair 21-14, 21-11. Hence, in the deciding fifth match, the task fell on 17-year-old Anmol Kharb, who played just one match in the tournament against China, also in the deciding fifth match and won, showed her temperament and skills by taking down world no. 29 Natsuki Nidaira in straight games (21-14, 21-18). Her win helped India reach the final of the Badminton Asia Team Championships for the first time. Catch highlights: