India women reach Badminton Asia Team Championships final for 1st time after young guns Ashmita, Anmol fire
India women scripted history on Friday in Selangor, Malaysia as they beat Japan 3-2 to reach the final of the Badminton Asia Team Championships for the first time.
Double Olympic medalist PV Sindhu lost her singles rubber, but young gun Ashmita Chaliha and teenager Anmol Kharb won their singles matches while Gayatri Gopichand and Jolly Treesa won their doubles rubber to script history for India.
India began their campaign in Selangor by stunning top seeds China in the group stage before blanking Hong Kong China 3-0 in the quarter-finals. When they decimated Hong Kong, India women were assured of their first-ever medal in the continental team championships. After the win over Japan, India have the chance of going for Gold in the final on Sunday.
India had an uphill task on their hands when PV Sindhu, World No. 11, lost to Aya Ohori in straight games in the first match of the semi-final tie against Japan. However, India rode on their young talent to continue their dream run in Selangor on Saturday.
It was a shock loss for Sindhu, who was in top form on her return to competitive action after a long injury layoff, as the Indian star had beaten Ohori, World No. 14, 13 times without losing in the past. However, she lost a close battle 13-21, 20-22 in 48 minutes as India slipped after the first contest.
The chips were down but young pair of Gayatri Gopichand and Jolly Treesa battled it out in a an hour-and-13-minute doubles contest against Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida 21-17, 16-21, 22-20 to level the semi-final tie at 1-1.
Then came the big shock of the semi-final as 24-year-old Ashmita Chaliha, World No. 55, stunned former World No. 1 and former world champion Nozomi Okuhara 21-17, 21-14 in 43 minutes to give India a 2-1 lead.
India had the opportunity to wrap up the semi-final in the fourth match, but the makeshift doubles pair of PV Sindhu and Ashwini Ponnappa lost to Japan’s Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakuramoto 14-21, 11-21 in straight games.
SAINA FAN ANMOL DOES IT AGAIN!
The onus of winning the deciding match once again fell on 16-year-old national champion Anmol. She aced a similar challenge in the group-stage game against China, but the pressure of the semi-final was evident as the two teams, sitting on the sidelines, were cheering on for their respective teammates.
However, Anmol Kharb, a Saina Nehwal fan, did not let nerves affect her as she was calm and composed, making it look easy on the court.
Anmol, who is ranked 472 in the world, stunned No. 29 Natsuki Nidaira 21-14, 21-18 in 52 minutes.
The assured gameplay and the confidence were on display from Anmol as chief coach Pullela Gopichand was a happy man.
Anmol was trailing 1-4 in the second game, but she took the lead quickly and never allowed her higher-ranked opponent to settle into the contest even at the change of ends.
The women’s team players rushed onto the court and embraced Anmol while celebrating the historic victory.
India will face Thailand in the final of the women’s event at BATC 2024. Thailand defeated Indonesia 3-1 in the other semi-final on Saturday.