Badminton
India defeats UAE 5-0 for second win in Asia Mixed Team Badminton
The Indian team crushed hosts UAE by 5-0 to register their second consecutive win in the Asia Mixed Team Badminton Championship.
FILE PHOTO: Aakarshi Kashyap will face off against Busanan Ongbamrungphan of Thailand in the first round. (Photo credit: BAI)
In the second match of Group B at the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships 2023 in Dubai on Wednesday, Team India trounced UAE 5-0 thanks to victories from Lakshya Sen, Aakarshi Kashyap, and all the doubles pairs.
India played without star players PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy but the Indian team was too strong for the hosts UAE.
The win against UAE means that India has virtually sealed their spot in the quarter-finals but to top the group and avoid the winners of Group A, India will have to beat CWG mixed team champions Malaysia in the final group game.
Lakshya Sen and Aakarshi Kashyap were played in this game in place of HS Prannoy and PV Sindhu.
Sen opened the match for India first and overcame Dev Vishnu with ease, 21-16, 21-12, in 31 minutes. After that, Aakarshi defeated Madhumitha Sundarapandian 21-6 21-7 to gain India a 2-0 lead.
Dhruv Kapila and Chirag Shetty won the men's doubles match by defeating Dev Ayyappan and Dhiren Ayyappan 21-15, 21-14 to make it 3-0.
Following their straightforward victories over their respective opponents, the women's doubles team of Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam and the mixed doubles team of Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto finished the proceedings.
The most challenging matchup for India is against Malaysia on Thursday in their last Group B contest. For the four-team groups, the top two teams will advance to the quarterfinals.
(With PTI Inputs)
