The Indian women’s badminton team achieved a historic milestone by advancing to the final of the Badminton Asia Championships for the first time, triumphing over Japan 3-2 in an exhilarating semifinal on Saturday.
“This victory ensures India a medal finish in the event. They’ll face Thailand in the final,” stated the report.
Despite star player PV Sindhu losing to Japan’s Aya Ohori in two straight sets of 21-17, 22-20, India made a comeback in the tie. Treesa-Gayathri played a pivotal role in this comeback, battling against the Japanese pair of Matsuyama-Shida. The intense match went to three sets, concluding with a nail-biter at 21-17, 16-21, 22-20, bringing India level at 1-1.
Ashmita Chaliha continued India’s momentum by securing a surprising victory against former world champion Nozomi Okuhara with a score of 21-17, 21-14, putting India ahead 2-1.
Facing a determined Japan, Miyaura-Sakuramoto defeated India’s Sindhu-Ponappa team in two sets of 21-14, 21-11, tying the overall score at 2-2 and setting the stage for a final game.
In a decisive match, Anmol Kharb played a crucial role, securing victory for India by defeating Japan’s Nidaira Natsuki in two straight games of 21-14, 21-18. This win propelled India to the final, marking a historic achievement for the women’s badminton team.