New Delhi: Indian badminton contingent and women’s table tennis continued their dominance and posted a clean sweep in their respective events. Indian badminton team defeated the Sri Lankan team 5-0 in the Mixed Team event, while the Indian women’s table tennis team won against Fiji with a score of 3-0.
Badminton Mixed Team
India defeated Pakistan 5-0 in the first game while Sri Lanka won against Australia 3-2. Both the winner teams of Pool A were facing each other on day 2. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Machimanda Ponappa started the match for India against the duo of Sachin Dias and Thilini Hendahewa. The Indian duo won the first game with 21-14 and the second much dominant;y with a score of 21-9 to give India a lead of 1-0.
Team Ritual before the Game ?
Let’s Go ⚡️⚡️@Pvsindhu1 @lakshya_sen @srikidambi@Aakarshi24#Cheer4India #IndiaTaiyaarHai#India4CWG2022@BAI_Media @WeAreTeamIndia @CGI_Bghm @CWG2022India pic.twitter.com/MMpIaR7szq
— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) July 30, 2022
India’s number 1 in Men’s Singles, Lakshya Sen, took over from there. The game was not much smooth sailing, with a two-point lead for the most part of the match, Lakshya ended up winning it 21-18. In his second game, he came back stronger and quicker as he defeated Niluka Karunaratne 21-5.
Aakarshi Kashyap sealed the match for India. She, playing the women’s singles, took an 11-1 lead against her opponent and went on to win the first game with a score of 21-3. And with a score of 21-9 in the second game, Aakarshi won India the match. However, 2 games were still left as the teams have to play all 5.
Sumeeth Reddy & Chirag Shetty beat Sri Lanka’s Sachin Dias & Dumindu Abeywickrama 21-10, 21-13 while Gayatri Gopichand & Treesa Jolly helped India to clean sweep the Sri Lankan team.
Women’s Table Tennis Team Event
Both women’s and men’s Indian teams have had clean sweeps till now. Indian women defeated South Africa in the first round and now they were facing Fiji. Diya Chitale and Sreeja Akula began the match against Touea Titana and Grace Yee. The Fijian tried to give a fight in the first round as the Indians won with just a three-point margin (11-8). The other two games went in India’s favour with a score of 11-3 and 11-5.
For Manika Batra, who is the defending champion in the women’s singles, it was a cakewalk. She won against Carolyn Li with scores of 11-2, 11-4, and 11-2 in the three games. India was now a win away from match victory.
In the next round, Sreeja Akula faced Grace Yee. Similar to the first round, the Fijian paddler tried to pose a fight in the first game. Akula won the game 11-7. The other two games went clearly in Akula’s favour as she won dominantly with a 10 and 9 points margin respectively. The Indian team will next face Guyana on day 3.
