India’s Women’s Badminton Team Clinches Thrilling Semifinal, Advances to Historic Final at Badminton Asia Team Championships

New Delhi:  In a nail-biting encounter, India’s women’s badminton team secured a historic spot in the final of the Badminton Asia Team Championships, overcoming two-time former champions Japan with a thrilling 3-2 victory in the semifinals held in Malaysia on Saturday.

The Indian contingent, on a dream run, advanced to their first-ever final in the tournament, showcasing exceptional prowess against a formidable Japanese side. The absence of key players like world No. 4 Akane Yamaguchi and the world No. 7 pair of Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota did not diminish Japan’s competitiveness, making it a challenging battle for India.

The World No. 23 duo of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand played a crucial role in the victory, delivering a stellar performance in the first doubles. They outclassed the world No. 6 pair of Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida with a 21-17, 16-21, 22-20 victory in a thrilling 73-minute contest, leveling the score at 1-1.

Despite a setback in the first singles, where returning star P. V. Sindhu fell to Aya Ohori with a scoreline of 13-21, 20-22, India bounced back in the second singles. World No. 53 Ashmita Chaliha displayed remarkable skills against former world champion Nozomi Okuhara, securing a surprising 21-17, 21-14 win and giving India a 2-1 lead.

The pairing of Sindhu and Ashwini Ponnappa faced challenges against the world No. 11 Japanese pair of Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakuramoto, succumbing to a 14-21, 11-21 defeat in 43 minutes, leveling the overall score at 2-2.

In the decisive fifth match, the 17-year-old Anmol Kharb emerged as the hero for India, defeating world No. 29 Natsuki Nidaira with a scoreline of 21-14, 21-18 in 52 minutes. This victory secured India’s place in the final against Thailand on Sunday, keeping alive the hope of clinching their first-ever gold in the continental championship. Notably, India had previously won bronze medals in the men’s team event in the 2016 and 2020 editions.