Picture Credit: Twitter
Indian men’s table tennis team have reached the quarter-final at the Asian Games 2023, after defeating Kazakhstan by 3-2 in the round of 16 stage on September 24, Sunday. In the other round of 16 stage match at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Gymnasium in Hangzhou, the Indian women’s table tennis team were knocked out of the competition after losing to Thailand by 2-3.
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The round of 16 tie for Team India started with a tough defeat for the experienced campaigner Achanta Sharath Kamal against Kirill Gerassimenko by 8-11, 11-9, 6-11, and 8-11. But, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran dominated Aidos Kenzhigulov, brushing aside the competition with a margin to 14-12, 11-8, and 11-4, to bring his team back into the contest.
Harmeet Rajul Desai got the better of Alan Kurmangaliyev 11-7, 12-10, and 11-5 to put India in 2-1 lead. Kazakhstan made a comeback after Sathiyan Gnanasekaran lost to Kirill Gerassimenko by 11-5, 9-11, 11-9. 5-11, and 11-5, but then, Achanta Sharath Kamal made amends from his earlier performance, defeating Aidos Kenzhigulov by 5-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8, and 11-9, to ensure that Team India reaches the last eight of the competition.
Indian women’s table tennis team loses to Thailand by 2-3 in round of 16
In the round of 16 stage of the women’s table tennis team event, India lost to Thailand in a pulsating tie by 2-3 to bow out of the competition. The star Indian player Manika Batra suffered a defeat in the first match of the day to Orawan Paranang by 7-11, 1-11, 11-13 in three straight games, to put her team on the backfoot.
Ayhika Mukherjee brought Team India back into the tie with a hard fought win in the second match against Suthasini Sawettabut by 18-16, 11-7, 13-15, and 11-9. They went into the 2-1 lead, after Sutirtha Mukherjee got the better of Tamolwan Khetkhuan by 11-1, 9-11, 3-11, 11-7, and 11-7.
Thailand made a comeback after Ayhika Mukherjee got beaten by Orawan Paranang with a scorecard reading 12-10, 4-11, 11-5, 4-11, and 3-11. And then, the hopes of the Indian team to make the quarter-finals were dashed, after Manika Batra lost the decider to Suthasini Sawettabut by 12-10, 8-11, 7-11, and 6-11.
