Unseeded Singapore staged a remarkable fightback to upset sixth seeds India 3-2 in a thriller to keep their knockout stage hopes alive in Group B at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wanchai, Hong Kong on Wednesday.
The Singaporeans had lost their first match on Tuesday by a similar margin to fourth seeds Chinese Taipei. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout round and Thursday’s tie between India and Chinese Taipei will decide the group champions and runners-up.
Singapore’s women’s doubles pair of Putri Sari Dewi Citra-Lim Ming Hui were the toast of the team who came back from a game down to beat India’s Rutaparna Panda-Arathi Sara Sunil 22-24, 21-15, 21-16 in a 69-minute thriller.
Special mention also needs to be made of the Singapore bench who spurred their team to the unexpected win over the highly rated Indians when the chips were down.
Singapore won the first point of the day in the mixed doubles with Danny Bawa Chrisnanta-Tan Wei Han walking away with a 21-16, 21-13 win over M. R. Arjun-Rutaparna Panda in 32 minutes.
However, H. S. Prannoy made it all square by winning his men’s singles encounter against Loh Kean Yew 21-8, 12-21, 21-17 – using his experience the Thailand Masters champion.
India went 2-1 up by winning the men’s doubles through M.R. Arjun-Ramchandran Shlok who defeated Danny Bawa Chrisnanta-Loh Kean Hean 21-16, 21-18.
Singapore was not to be undone and Yeo Jia Min won her women’s singles match against Adhmita Chaliha 17-21, 21-12, 21-16 in 47 minutes to give her team a fighting chance.
And Putri Sari-Ming Hui did not let their team down with the winning point in the women’s doubles.
“Ou great fighting spirit and the tremendous support from the team members played a role in our win to keep our quarter-final hopes alive,” said Kean Yew after the match. – Badminton Asia
RESULTS
GROUP B
Singapore beat India 3-2
(Singapore first)
Mixed doubles
Danny Bawa Chrisnanta-Tan Wei Han beat M.R. Arjun-Rutaparna Panda 21-16, 21-13
Men’s singles
Loh Kean Yew lost to H.S. Prannoy 8-21, 21-12, 17-21
Men’s doubles
Danny Bawa Chrisnanta-Loh Kean Hean lost to M.R. Arjun-Ramchandran Shlok 16-21, 18-21
Women’s singles
Yeo Jia Min beat Asmita Chaliha 17-21,21-12, 21-16
Women’s doubles
Putri Sari Dewi Citra-Lim Ming Hui beat Rutaparna Pandas-Arathi Sara Sunil 22-24, 21-15, 21-16
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