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Indian women’s team clinched the historic gold at the Badminton Asia Team Championships 2024 on Sunday, February 18, beating Thailand 3-2. India’s young sensation, Anmol Kharb sealed the decider for the Indian women’s team after PV Sindhu and doubles pair of Tressa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand handed a 2-0 lead in the final against Thailand in Selangor, Malaysia.
The Indian team had taken a 2-0 lead in the five-match tie before the Thailand side levelled it 2-2. The Indian women’s team scripted history as they won their maiden continental team championships title in the history of the sport. Earlier, the men’s team had won bronze medals in 2016 and 2020 edition.
Speaking of the individual matches, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, who returned after an injury layoff, defeated Supaninda Katethong 21-12, 21-12 in jut 39 minutes, gave India a 1-0 lead. They doubled it thereafter with Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichanded defeating Kongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawwindra Prajongjal 21-16, 18-21, 21-16.
Ashmita Chaliha, who had beaten former world champion Nozomu Okuhara in the semifinal, lost to Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan 11-21, 14-21. The Indian women’s team, consisting of Priya Konjenbham and Shruti Mishra also lost the second doubles match, before the 16-year-old Anmol took away the decider.
The Indian women’s team were riding high on their form as they earlier beat China 3-2 in the group stage tie. They then went upto beat top-seeded Japan 3-2 to reach their first-ever final of the badminton team.
