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On Saturday, April 27, the Indian women’s badminton team defeated Canada 4-1 in their first Group A tie to kick-start their Uber Cup 2024 campaign on a winning note. At the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Centre Gymnasium in Chengdu, China, the young players in Team India didn’t let the absence of PV Sindhu and Ashwini Ponnappa affect them, with the likes of Ashmita Chaliha and Isharani Baruah playing a key role in their victory.
The world number 53, Ashmita Chaliha, showcased exceptional grit and determination against Michelle Li, the world number 25, to get the better of her in the opening match of the tie. She prevailed with a scoreline of 26-24, 24-22 in a contest which lasted for 42 minutes against the Canadian opponent.
The Indian pairing of Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra doubled the lead with straight games win over Catherine Choi and Jeslyn Chow by 21-11 and 21-10. India managed to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the Uber Cup tie after Isharani Baruah took down Wen Yu Zhang 21-13, 21-13.
After giving away a 3-0 lead to India in the tie, Canada managed to pull one back with Jackie Dent and Crystal Lai winning against Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker 21-19, 21-15. In the final match of the tie, Anmol Kharb, the rising star in the world of badminton, got the better of Eliana Zhang 21-15, 21-11, to secure a 4-1 triumph for India over Canada.
In their upcoming Uber Cup ties, the Indian women’s badminton team will be playing against Singapore and China on April 28 and 30 respectively.