Indian women created history, defeated Japan and reached the final for the first time

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Shah Alam. The Indian women’s team, riding on its young talent, defeated top seed Japan 3-2 in Selangor, Malaysia on Saturday and reached its first final of the Badminton Asia Team Championship.

“It is a proud moment for Indian badminton. Sanjay Mishra, Secretary General, Badminton Association of India, said, “The youth have justified the selection by rising to the occasion and contributing to the success and history by reaching the final of the Badminton Asia Team Championship for the first time.”

The team, which upset mighty China in the group stage, once again showed that they are not intimidated by any opponent or any situation as the youngsters defeated their superior team in the semi-finals.

Reaching the last-four stage for the first time in the history of the tournament, the women needed a strong start from two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu but things did not go according to plan. Sindhu started strong against Aya Ohori but a lapse in concentration helped the Japanese player win the opening game. The Indian star shuttler lost nine consecutive points at the start of the second game until she scored nine points herself to level the score from 10-19 to 19-19. She managed to save a match point but could not maintain the momentum and lost 21-13, 22-20.

The young pair of Tressa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand had a tough challenge to defeat world number 6 pair Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida. They performed well in the third encounter between the two pairs. Treesa and Gayatri started off by winning the opening game but the experience of the Japanese found a way to force a deciding game. In the deciding game they once again held their own and took a 19–13 lead, before their more experienced opponents put the pressure on them again. The young Indian combination did not lose courage despite the score being tied at 19-19 and then won their second match point 21-17, 16-21, 22-20.

After this, Ashmita Chaliha took advantage of the opportunity and on the basis of her aggressive performance, defeated former world champion Nojomi Okuhara 21-17, 21-14 and put the Indians ahead.

Sindhu, who also had the responsibility of playing the second doubles on her shoulders, partnered Ashwini Ponnappa but the pair lost 14-21, 11-21 against world number 11 Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakuramoto.

This meant that national champion Anmol Kharb once again had the responsibility of leading his team and the 17-year-old once again performed brilliantly. Playing in her first major senior event, the world number 472 showed no nerves at all as she won 21-14, 21-18 against world number 29 Natsuki Ndaira in a 52-minute encounter.

India will face Thailand in the final, which defeated Indonesia 3-1 in the other semi-final.

–IANS

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