India Exits Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships Following Quarterfinal Defeat to Japan
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Synopsis
In a tough quarterfinal showdown, India faced Japan at the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships, ultimately losing 3-0. The Indian team, which included promising players, fought hard but couldn't secure a victory against their formidable opponents.
Key Takeaways
- India lost to Japan 3-0 in the quarterfinals.
- Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto put on a strong performance in mixed doubles.
- Malvika Bansod faced World No. 8 Tomoka Miyazaki.
- HS Prannoy attempted to rally but fell short against Kenta Nishimoto.
- India previously won bronze in the last championship.
Qingdao (China), Feb 14 (NationPress) The previous edition's bronze medalists India have exited the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships after suffering a 3-0 defeat to Japan in the quarterfinals on Friday.
The emerging mixed doubles duo of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto, along with women’s singles player Malvika Bansod, put forth a valiant effort against their higher-ranked rivals but could not avert India's defeat against the strong Japanese team, champions of the 2017 edition, in the knockout stage.
In the opening match, Dhruv and Tanisha faced the World No. 12 pair of Hiroki Midorikawa and Natsu Saito. They pushed the match to a deciding game following a spirited comeback in the second game. However, the seasoned Japanese duo clinched the match after 61 minutes with scores of 21-13, 17-21, 21-13.
Next, Malvika was challenged by World No. 8 Tomoka Miyazaki, but her attempts fell short as she succumbed to a score of 21-12, 21-19 against the Japanese star.
To keep India’s hopes alive, HS Prannoy, the Asian Games bronze medalist, was required to secure a win in the men’s singles against Kenta Nishimoto. After dropping the first game, he managed to rally back and win the second, but could not maintain the momentum. Ultimately, Nishimoto surged ahead in the final game, establishing a 0-6 lead and finished the match with scores of 14-21, 21-15, 12-21 in 1 hour and 17 minutes.
India progressed to the knockout stage by defeating Macau 5-0 in their opening match of Group D, followed by a narrow 2-3 loss to South Korea.
Next, Japan will face the winner of the clash between China and Hong Kong for a spot in the final.
In the last edition of the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship, India reached the semifinals but fell to China with a result of 2-3, marking their first medal - a bronze - from this continental tournament.
Match Results: India lost to Japan 0-3 (Dhruv Kapila/Tanisha Crasto lost to Hiroki Midorikawa/Natsu Saito 13-21, 21-17, 13-21; Malvika Bansod lost to Tomoka Miyazaki 12-21, 19-21; HS Prannoy lost to Kenta Nishimoto 14-21, 21-15, 12-21).
