Commonwealth Games: All you need to know about Indian badminton
The 2022 Commonwealth Games have begun. Indian shuttler PV Sindhu has the hopes and wishes pinned onto her for gold in women's singles. She received a bye in the opening round. She will face Maldives' Fathimath Abdul Razzad next. 2018 CWG men's singles silver-medalist, Kidambi Srikanth, has received a bye too. The Indian badminton contingent begins its journey in the mixed team event.
Here is the Indian squad for badminton: Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth (men's singles), PV Sindhu and Aakarshi Kashyap (women's singles), Satwiksairaj Reddy and Chirag Shetty (men's doubles), Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly (women's doubles), and Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy (mixed doubles).
India are up against Pakistan in the Group A opener (mixed team event). The tie will be played on Court No. 2 at the National Exhibition Centre. It comprises matches in all five categories: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles.
2018 CWG men's singles silver-medalist, Kidambi Srikanth, will be straightaway seen in action in the second round. Srikanth will lock horns with either Barbados' Kennie King or Uganda's Daniel Wanagaliya. He could face reigning world champion, Loh Kean Yew, in the semis. Second-seeded Lakshya Sen, who is making his CWG debut, could end up with a potential semi-final clash against Canada's Brian Yang.
In men's doubles, the second-seeded duo of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy will commence their journey from the second round. They will face the winner of the opening-round clash between South Africa's Jarred Elliott and Robert Summers and Pakistan's Ali Murad and Muhammad Bhatti.
India's women doubles pair of Gayathri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly have received byes as well. They will be up against Mauritius' Ganesha Mungrah and Jemimah Leung For Sang or Uganda's Sharifa Wanyana and Justine Tracy Naulwooza. As for women's singles, Aakarshi Kashyap will be pitted against the first-round winner of Pakistan's Mahoor Shahzad and Guyana's Priyanna Devirani Ramdhani.
Ashwini Ponnappa and Reddy will be raring to take a go at the local favorites Jessica Pugh and Callum Hemming in the second round. All the matches for singles and doubles will commence on August 3 post the completion of the mixed team event.
Sindhu is a two-time medallist in women's singles at the Commonwealth Games. She pocketed bronze in 2014, having lost to Malaysia's Tee Jing Yi 23-21, 21-9. However, the ace shuttler was a notch above in 2018. She snared silver as she lost to fellow countrywoman Saina Nehwal 21-18, 23-21. Notably, Sindhu has a gold medal to her name through mixed doubles in 2018.
India are the third-most successful nation in badminton at CWG. To date, India have won 25 medals which include seven gold, seven silver, and 11 bronze. England (109) and Malaysia (64) are the top two nations in terms of medal tallies. Saina Nehwal grabbed a gold medal in women's singles in the 2018 edition. Meanwhile, Parupalli Kashyap (men's singles) claimed gold in 2014.
Indian shuttlers put up a dazzling exhibition in 2018. They managed six medals, comprising two gold, three silver, and a bronze. India snatched the joint-most medals alongside England. Nehwal shone in the singles while India pocketed their second gold in the mixed-team event. India improved on their medal count from 2014, wherein they claimed four medals (one gold, one silver, and two bronze).
As per Sportstar, the matches in women's singles, men's singles, women's doubles, men's doubles and mixed doubles will begin on August 3. This is a day after the completion of the mixed team event.
