Badminton Asia Team Championships: India Settle for Bronze After Losing to Indonesia in Semis

India lost both their doubles matches and one singles contest while registering stunning wins in the other two singles encounters.

India men team suffered 2-3 defeat to defending champions and hosts Indonesia in the semi-finals of the ongoing Badminton Asia Team Championships to settle for bronze on Saturday.

India lost both their doubles matches and one singles contest while registering stunning wins in the other two singles encounters. B Sai Praneeth had retired in the opening singles of the five-match contest after receiving a 6-21 thrashing at the hands of Anthony Ginting in the opening game.

Trailing 0-1, rising star Lakshya Sen produced a scintillating show in an upset win over world No. 7 Jonatan Christie. Sen, who is ranked 31 in men’s singles, won 21-18, 22-20 to draw level at 1-1.

MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila then combined forces in the men’s doubles fixture, fought hard but eventually lost 21-10, 14-21, 23-21 to three-time world champions and second-ranked Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan.

Indonesia had regained their lead at 2-1, but India rebounded through Subhankar Dey who stunned world No. 20 Shesar Hiren Rhustavito 21-17, 21-15 in the third singles.

With teams levelled at 2-2, it boiled down to the fifth and final match  – a doubles contest. India, however, failed to produce a repeat of their quarter-finals show where they registered a thrilling 3-2 win by pocketing the final match.

Chirag Shetty and Lakshya took the court but the world no. 1 pair of of Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo took just 24 minutes to register a 21-6, 21-13 win.

India thus took home a second bronze medal from the event (after the 2016 edition in Hyderabad) while Indonesia will now fight to defend their crown in the final on Sunday.