Indian women’s team created history at the Badminton Asia Team Championships 2024 after they secured an astonishing win against Japan in the semifinal clash by 3-2 at Shah Alam, Malaysia, on Saturday, February 17. The surprising star of the win was 17-year-old shuttler Anmol Kharb (World ranking 472), who secured a convincing victory over Japan’s Natsuki Nidaira (world ranking 29) by 21-14, 21-18 in the decider match and confirmed India’s first silver medal at the tournament.
India started with a dismal show in the semis, with two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu losing to Aya Ohori by 13-21, 20-22 in the first game. It was then the double pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand who paved the way for a comeback with a 21-17, 16-21, 22-20 victory over Japanese All England Champions pair of Chiharu Shida and Nami Matsuyama to equalize the game.
Ashmita Chaliha capitalized on the momentum and gave the Indian team a lead with a 21-17, 21-14 win over Nozomi Okuhara. Japan then levelled the scores after Sindhu and Ashwini Ponnappa lost by 14-21, 11-21 to Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakuramoto. I n the decider match, Anmol Kharb shocked the world by securing a stunning victory over Japan’s Natsuki Nidaira by 21-14, 21-18.
India to face Thailand for gold medal clash
Indian women set the date with Thailand in the gold medal clash on Sunday, February 18, 2024, which would be India’s first ever in the tournament so far. Thailand reached the title clash after beating Indonesia by 3-1 in the semifinal. In the men’s round, Indian men bowed out of the tournament after they lost to Japan by 3-2 in the quarterfinal clash.