Asian Games 2023: Indian women's squash team reaches semifinals, secures a medal

The Indian women's squash team, despite losing to Malaysia in its final Pool B tie on Thursday, reached the semifinals of the 2023 Asian Games, assuring the nation of at least a bronze medal.

The Indian squad, comprised of talented players such as Joshna Chinnappa, Anahat Singh, Dipika Pallikal, and Tanvi Khanna, showcased their dominance on the court and ignited hopes of a gold medal, winning its previous Pool B ties.

But, Thursday's 0-3 defeat against Malaysia before the semifinal fixture is a major setback for India.

Playing the first match, Joshana Chinappa suffered a 6-11, 2-11, 8-11 defeat against Subramaniam Sivasangari in 21 minutes.

Tanvi Khanna, however, showed great resilience in the second match and won the first game 11-9 against Azman Aifa Binti. But the Malaysian player fought back to win the next two games to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Tanvi would fight her way back to draw level 2-2 at the end of the fourth game. In the fifth game, Azman defeated Tanvi 11-5 and won the match to give Malaysia a 2-0 lead in the tie.

Anahat Singh, meanwhile, conceded her match 0-3 (7-11, 7-11, 12-14) against Rachel Mae Arnold as India went down in straight matches against Malaysia.

The Indian team had begun its Asian Games campaign on a high note, registering a resounding victory over arch-rival Pakistan. The team's spirited performance and cohesive gameplay were evident as it outclassed the opponent. Riding on this wave of confidence, Indian players continued their dominant run by defeating Nepal and Macao in a convincing fashion in the following matches.

Despite the defeat, the Indian players had already secured their spot in the semifinals, ensuring the country at least a bronze medal.

The Indian women's team will be in action in the semifinal on Friday and hope to better the colour of its medal.