India lift South Asian Badminton Team title

By our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI, Dec  5 : India thrashed Nepal 5-0 to win the first ever South Asian Regiol Badminton Tourment (team championship) here at the Tarun Ram Phookan Indoor Stadium on Tuesday.

India came into the fils without losing a single match and continued their good run with Aryaman Tandon drawing the first blood in the boys’singles competition. Taking on the winner (mixed doubles) of Pakistan Intertiol Badminton Series Dipesh Dhami, Aryaman, ranked third in India (under-19) was in his elements from the word go and picked up an easy 21-9,21-15 victory to give the hosts an early initiative.

Local star Ashmita Chaliha continued the Indian juggerut as she danced her way to a 21-9, 21-6 win over Rashila Maharjan in the girls’ singles event. Ashmita who has been picked up by the North Eastern Warriors for the upcoming edition of the Vodafone Premier Badminton League barely broke a sweat and registered a comprehensive victory to double India’s lead.

In the boys’ doubles event, the pair of Arintap Dasgupta and Krish Prasad G had to stave off a challenge from Nepalese duo of Dipesh Dhami and bin Shrestha. Nepal started off well winning the first game 21-19. However, the Indians came back stronger and won the next two games 21-14, 21-11 to seal the deal for the Indian contingent. Nepal gave walkover in the last two games as the fate of the fil was already decided.

Sanjay Mishra, Indian junior badminton coach was ecstatic with the win and said, “It was a great performance by the squad and we are happy with the way they played. It was as easy as the results show. Nepal are a good team and I am really happy that the team executed the plans as had discussed.”

With the team championship over, the individual competition will commence from tomorrow.