India has advanced to the semi-finals for the first time since the tournament's inception in 2016.
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The Indian women’s badminton squad put up an impressive show, beating Hong Kong with a clean sweep of 3-0 in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Badminton Asia Team Championships in Shah Alam, Malaysia. This win was historic as it assured the team their first medal in the event.
India has been unstoppable, making it to the semifinals for the first time since the tournament began in 2016. They kicked off the quarterfinals with PV Sindhu defeating Lo Sin Yan Happy with scores of 21-7, 16-21, and 21-12, giving India a strong start.
Next up were Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto, who took down Yeung Nga Ting and Yeung Pui Lam 21-10, 21-14, putting India ahead with a 2-0 lead. The victory was sealed when Ashmita Chaliha triumphed over Yeung Sum Yee 21-12, 21-13, rounding out India’s win at 3-0. India now waits to see if they’ll face China or Japan next.
Vimal Kumar, once a national team coach, is pleased with the women’s team’s performance in Hong Kong. He acknowledged challenges with the breeze affecting the shuttle’s direction, making play tricky. Despite that, he’s glad about the team advancing to the semifinals, even though Sindhu had to work harder to overcome the tricky conditions.
Earlier, India surprised everyone by beating the powerhouse team from China 3-2 in the women’s group stage. With only two teams in their group, India was guaranteed to move on but still pulled off an unexpected win over China.
PV Sindhu, coming back after a four-month break due to a knee injury, led the team to a 1-0 start with her win over Han Yue, finishing 21-17, 21-15 in just 40 minutes. Tanisha Castro and Ashwini Ponappa then lost to Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning, and Ashmita Chaliha fell to Wang Zhi Yi, putting India behind at 1-2.
However, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand beat Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min, and then 17-year-old Anmol Kharb, against the odds, won against Wu Luo Yu, turning the tables for India with scores of 22-20, 14-21, 21-18. This young player’s win was a real game-changer for the team. The 2024 Badminton Asia Team Championships is key for players aiming for the Olympics, offering points for the Race to Paris rankings.
It’s also the gateway for Asian teams to qualify for the Thomas and Uber Cup in China later that year. India presently holds the Thomas Cup title. India is aiming to make it all the way to the final of the Badminton Asia Team Championships 2024. The Badminton Asia Team Championships 2024 is held in Shah Alam, Malaysia, from February 13 to February 18.
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