Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa lead India to first win at Commonwealth Games 2014

Despite the absence of star player Saina Nehwal, the Indian side started off their campaign in style winning 5-0 in the mixed team group play.

Updated: July 24, 2014 8:23 PM IST

By Rashmi Mishra

Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa lead India to first win at Commonwealth Games 2014

Jwala Gutta_Commonwealth Games

Placed in Group B, the experienced pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa led the Indian side register a comprehensive win against the relatively immature Ghana side. Despite the absence of star player Saina Nehwal, the Indian side started off their campaign in style winning 5-0 in the mixed team group play. On the first day of play, the Indian side did not choose to field their another big star player PV Sindhu in either of women’s singles or doubles matches. Nevertheless Indian side played an extraordinary level of badminton in all their five matches of the group.

The Match 1 started with Kashyap Parupalli taking on 20-year-old Daniel Sam in the men’s singles. The experienced badminton player from India Parupalli easily swept past Dam 21/6, 21/16 in mere 27 minutes of play.

The Match 2 feature the women’s singles match between 19-year-old Venkata Pusarla from India and Ghana’s Stella Amasah. Confident Pusarla wrapped up the match in 15 minutes taking the second match 21/7, 21/5.

The Match 3 was a men’s doubles match that saw Indian pair of Akshay Dewalkar and Pranaav Chopra take on Abraham Ayittey and Emmanuel Donkar from Ghana. The Indian pair without wasting much time won in straight games 21/7, 21/11 in 22 minutes.

The Match 4 was women’s doubles match featuring Indian star players Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa taking on Diana Archer and Evelyn Botwe. The experienced Indian pair and 2010 Commonwealth medalist dispatched 21/4, 21/10 in 17 minutes.

The Match 5 featured mixed doubles between Srikanth Kidambi and PC Thulasi beat Ghana pair of Daniel Sam and Stella Amasah in 17 minutes. The Indian duo defeated them in straight sets 21/5, 21/9.

India will next play against the Kenyan side. The match is scheduled to start at 6.00 p.m.

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