Commonwealth Games: India beat SL 5-0 in badminton, reach quarter-finals
India beat Sri Lanka 5-0 in badminton (mixed team event) to qualify for the quarter-finals of the 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Birmingham. Ashwini Ponnappa, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Lakshya Sen, Akarshi Kashyap, B Sumeeth Reddy, Chirag Shetty, Gayatri Gopichand, and Tressa Jolly helped India sail through the Group A fixture. India will face Australia in its final league group match.
Ponnappa and Rankireddy put India ahead with a 21-14 21-9 win over Sachin Dias and Thilini Hendahewa. In the singles tie, Lakshya Sen breezed past Niluka Karunatne (21-18 21-5). Kashyap gave India a 3-0 lead with a win over Suhasni Vidanage. Sumeeth Reddy and Chirag Shetty beat Dumindu Abeywickrama and Sachin Dias 21-10 21-13 thereafter. Gayatri and Jolly then overcame Hendahewa and Vidanage.
India top the Group A standings after recording two back-to-back wins. Before thrashing the Lankans, the Indian badminton mixed team contingent beat Pakistan 5-0. India, who have qualified for the knockout stages, would now take on Australia in the final group tie.
India is 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.
The 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).
