Tokyo Paralympics: Pramod Bhagat, Palak Kohli lose their first mixed doubles match

The Indian para-badminton campaign at the ongoing Tokyo Paralympics started off with a loss as the country's mixed doubles pair of Pramod Bhagat and Palak Kohli fell to a closely fought defeat against the second seeds. The Indians lost 9-21, 21-15, 19-21 to Lucas Mazur and Faustine Noel of France.

Pramod Bhagat and Palak Kohli started off well in the match taking a 2-1 lead in the first game, but that was the only time they seemed comfortable in the first game. The French duo came storming back to wrap up the game 21-9 in just 11 minutes.

The second game started with the Lucas and Faustine taking an early lead, and it felt as if the French would wrap up the match in straight games. But, Palak and Pramod had other ideas. The relentless nature of the Indians took the opponents by surprise as they clinched the second game 21-15 to force the match into a decider.

The decider started with Lucas Mazur and Faustine Noel racing to an 8-5 lead, but the Indians levelled at 9-9 before being 9-11 down at the mid-game break. The French duo extended the lead to 14-9 after the break, before Palak Kohli and Pramod Bhagat came storming back, winning six points on a trot to take a 15-14 lead in the decider.

Just when it looked like the Indians would wrap this up, Lucas Mazur and Faustine Noel rose from the ashes to pocket the decider 21-19 in 19 minutes.

With this loss, the pressure is now on Pramod Bhagat and Palak Kohli to win their next encounter if they are to advance to the semifinal.