India's Young Badminton Team Shines at Uber Cup 2024
Trang Napie
Thu May 02 2024
The Indian badminton team, predominantly consisting of young and untested players, has seized the opportunity to compete in the Uber Cup 2024. Missing star player Pusarla V Sindhu and doubles pairs like Ashwini Ponnappa / Tanisha Crasto and Treesa Jolly / Gayatri Gopichand Pullela, the team faced tough challenges against China, Canada, and Singapore in Chengdu, China from April 27 to May 5.
In the first test for India's second-line team, they clashed with Canada, led by Michelle Li. Ranked 53rd in the world and tasked with filling the shoes of the legendary Sindhu, left-handed player Ashmita Chaliha showcased brilliance by defeating Li with scores of 26-24, 24-22. Despite being the "senior" player at just 24 years old, Chaliha expressed her efforts to inspire her teammates by giving her best performance, no matter the magnitude of the challenge.
Chaliha shared her anticipation for the Uber Cup, emphasizing the absence of key players and the need for the team to give their all on the court. Priya Konjengbam / Shruti Mishra extended India's lead to 2-0 by defeating Catherine Choi / Jeslyn Chow before Isharani Baruah, ranked 83rd globally, secured victory against the 44th ranked Wen Yu Zhang.
Although Canada managed to snatch a point in the second doubles match, India's Anmol Kharb sealed the deal with a 21-15, 21-11 victory over Eliana Zhang. Kharb, confident from his performance in the Asian Team Championships, embraced the challenge of facing top opponents and expressed joy in the opportunity to compete against players like Tai Tzu Ying.
India's young badminton squad's commendable performance at the Uber Cup 2024 exemplifies their potential and determination to excel on the international stage. Despite missing key players, the team displayed resilience, skill, and a promising future in the world of badminton.