CWG, Mixed team badminton: India to face Malaysia in final
India entered the final of the badminton mixed team event after beating Singapore in the semi-final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG). Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Chandrashekhar Shetty, PV Sindhu, and Lakshya Sen assured India of at least a silver medal. Defending champions India, who won the semi-final 3-0, will now face Malaysia in what will be a rematch of the 2018 CWG final.
Satwik and Chirag overcame the Singapore pair of Yong Kai Terry Hee and Andy Jun Liang Kwek in the men's doubles match (21-11, 21-12). PV Sindhu then extended India's lead to 2-0 with a 21-11, 21-12 win over Jia Min Yeo in the women's singles clash. Later, Lakshya defeated world champion Loh Kean 21-18, 21-15 (men's singles) to give India an unassailable 3-0 lead.
The Indian badminton side (mixed team) beat Pakistan 5-0 in the tournament opener. They staged a similar win against Sri Lanka in the second match (5-0). India qualified for the quarter-final after claiming a 4-1 win against Australia. In the last eight clash, India thrashed South Africa 3-0. They entered the final after beating Singapore 3-0 in the semis.
As stated, India will face Malaysia in the mixed team final on Tuesday. The two teams also locked horns in the 2018 CWG finals, where India claimed the gold medal (3-1). It remains to be seen who comes on top this time.
India is the third-most successful nation in badminton at CWG. To date, Team India has won 25 medals, including seven gold, seven silver, and 11 bronze medals. 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 Indianshuttlers 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).
