India’s campaign at the 28th Asian Table Tennis Team Championships in Bhubaneswar witnessed contrasting emotions on Sunday. While the men’s team bowed out after a quarterfinal defeat to Hong Kong (China), the women’s side now carries the nation’s hopes as it prepares to face Singapore in the last eight on Monday evening.
Men’s Team Knocked Out by Hong Kong
India’s streak of three consecutive medals in the men’s team event came to an end after a 0-3 loss to a disciplined Hong Kong outfit at the Kalinga Indoor Stadium. Led by captain Manav Thakkar, the young Indian side—with two debutants—found it hard to match Hong Kong’s consistency and experience.
National champion Manush Shah was outplayed by Wong Chun Ting in the opening rubber, before Manav lost a five-game battle to Chan Baldwin. Youngster Ankur Bhattacharjee, who had beaten Lam Siu Hang in China last month, started brightly but failed to capitalise as Lam rallied to complete Hong Kong’s clean sweep.
India will now play in the fifth-to-eighth place classification matches on Monday.
Hong Kong, Japan Progress to Semifinals
The win guaranteed Hong Kong a long-awaited medal, joining Japan—who defeated Korea 3-1—in the semifinals. World No. 5 Tomokazu Harimoto continued to lead from the front, guiding Japan past a tough Korean challenge.
Focus Shifts to Women’s Team
The Indian women’s team, led by Ayhika Mukherjee and Sreeja Akula, will face Singapore in its quarterfinal clash later tonight. After strong group-stage performances, the hosts will aim to keep India’s medal hopes alive in front of the home crowd.
With the men’s side targeting a respectable finish and the women eyeing a semifinal spot, India’s campaign enters a crucial phase at the Bhubaneswar championships.
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