Indian women’s team created history, reached the final of Badminton Asia Team Championship for the first time
The Indian women’s team continued its dream journey by defeating two-time former champion Japan 3-2 in a thrilling semi-final on Saturday and entered the final of the Badminton Asia Team Championship for the first time. World number 23 pair of Trisha Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand won the first doubles, world number 53 Asmita Chaliha won the second singles and 17-year-old Anmol Kharab won the deciding singles to take India to the title clash. The Indian women’s team will now face Thailand in the final on Sunday.
The Japanese team was playing without Akane Yamaguchi (world number four), Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota (world number seven) and Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara (world number eight). But despite this, there was a strong team and it presented a tough challenge to India. PV Sindhu, who was returning after a long time due to injury, however, could not register a win against Aya Ohori in the first singles and lost 13-21, 20-22.
Trisha and Gayatri performed brilliantly in the first doubles and brought India to 1-1 with a 21-17, 16-21, 22-20 win over world No. 6 pair of Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida in 73 minutes. Gave. Asmita again showed an aggressive game against former world champion Nojomi Okuhara (ranked 20th). The Indian used his cross shots and smashes brilliantly to give India a 2-1 lead with a 21-17, 21-14 upset victory.
Tanisha Crasto was injured, due to which Sindhu paired with Ashwini Ponnappa but they could not overcome the hurdle of world number 11 pair of Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakuramoto and lost 14-21 11-21 in 43 minutes. Now both the teams were tied at 2-2. Anmol was given the responsibility of defeating the world’s 29th player Natsuki Ndaira and this Indian also lived up to the expectations by winning 21-14, 21-18 in 52 minutes, taking India to the final for the first time. India will now try to win the first gold medal in this continental championship. India had won two bronze medals in the men’s team event in the 2016 and 2020 editions.
