India women’s badminton team scripted history on Sunday in Selangor Malaysia as they won the Badminton Asia Team Championships crown, beating Thailand 3-2 in a hard-fought final. This is the first time India have won the prestigious continental team championships title in the history of the sport.
PV Sindhu, Gayatri Gopichand-Treesa Jolly and teenage sensational Anmol Kharb won their respective matches as India won the final 3-2 in Shah Alam on Sunday.
Two years after India won the prestigious Thomas Cup, the women’s team have had their moment of glory as India were terrific in the continental tournament, beating the likes of China, Hong Kong, Japan and eventually Thailand in the final.
It was a terrific final that lived up to the billing as India as PV Sindhu, playing her first tournament on her return from injury layoff, defeated Supaninda Katethong 21-12, 21-12 in just 39 minutes to give India 1-0 lead.
India went 2-0 when Gayatri Gopichand and Jolly Treesa defeated Jongkolpham Kititharakul and Rawwinda Prajongjal in a hard-fought three-game battle. Gayatri and Jolly kept their nerves and fought back from 6-11 down in the final game to beat the Thailand pair 21-16, 18-21, 21-16 in the first double match of the 5-match tie.
However, Ashmita Chaliha, who had beaten former world champion Nozomi Okuhara in the semi-final against Japan, lost to Busanan Ongbamrungphan 11-21, 14-21.
India also lost the second doubles match.
However, 16-year-old Anmol Kharb, ranked 472 in the world, once again thrived in the deciding match. The Saina Nehwal fan showed nerves of steel on the biggest stage as she defeated World No. 45 Pornpicha CHOEIKEEWONG in straight games to give India the decisive win.
