Teen shuttler Anmol Kharb delivered the killer punch once again as Indian women scaled another peak by emerging triumphant at the Badminton Asia Team Champiosnhips with a 3-2 victory in the final against Thailand in Shah Alam, Malaysia, on Sunday. China trounced Malaysia 3-0 to win the men’s final.
With both teams tied at 2-2, it was left to Anmol. And for the third time this week, the 17-year-old from Faridabad clinched the decider for India. Playing her first international tournament, the world No.472 displayed nerves of steel and looked like a seasoned campaigner as she took on world No.45 Pornpicha Choeikeewong. The contest was over in 43 minutes and there was no doubt about the result as Anmol reduced her rival into submission with a 21-14, 21-9 victory. Earlier, she had done same against China and Japan.
PV Sindhu gave a winning start to her team. Despite moving slowly on the court, Sindhu was never in trouble against Supanida Katethong 21-12, 21-12, an opponent who troubled the Indian quite a few times in the past. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand clinched a crucial victory for India.
Up against world No.10 pair of Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai, the world No.23 Indians worked hard in the one hour 13-minute contest. Treesa-Gayatri won the first game but the Thais came up strongly to take the second game to push the contest into the decider. At one stage in the third game, the Indians were trailing 6-10. But after the mandatory change of courts, the girls wiped out the margin and broke free from 15-15 with a five-point burst at this crucial stage. The victory was quite significant as this was the only top-10 pair Thailand had fielded in the tournament.
