Badminton World Juniors: India outclass Sri Lanka

IMAGE: India registered an emphatic victory over Sri Lanka to advance to the knockouts of the BWF World Junior Badminton Championships. Photograph: Badminton Photo/BAI Media

India produced another clinical performance against Sri Lanka in their Group H clash to inch closer to the knockout stages of the mixed team event of the BWF World Junior Badminton Championships for the Suhandinata Cup, in Guwahati, on Tuesday.

India, the second seeds and firm favourites to top Group H, lived up to expectations with a 45-27, 45-21 victory over Sri Lanka, who had edged the United Arab Emirates in a close tie on Monday.

Among the other top nations, 14-time champions China and former champions South Korea registered their second wins in their respective group, while Philippines upset Hong Kong 42-45, 45-28, 45-43.

China playing in Group D defeated England 45-22, 45-19, while South Korea hammered debutant Bhutan 45-5, 45-17 in Group G.

Playing on the adjacent court to the Koreans, the Indian team hardly broke any sweat despite the team management fielding a fresh bunch of players who didn’t get a chance to play in the match against Nepal.

Lalthazuala Hmar gave the team a confident start, beating Keneth Aruggoda 9-2 in the boy’s singles and Bhavya Chhabra and Mithileish P Krishnan extending the lead to 18-6

against Sanuda Ariyasinghe and Thisath Rupathunga.

It was only girl’s singles player Rakshitha Sree, who was playing the team relay-scoring format for the first time, struggled to get going against Ranithma Liyanage and was trailing 3-8 before winning six of the next seven points to take the score to 36-21.

C Lalramsanga and Taarini Suri, Junior Grand Prix finalist in Pune, then wrapped up the set 45- 27, beating Aruggoda and Liyanage 9-6.

Rounak Chouhan started the proceedings for India in the second set and though the hosts played a completely fresh line up in the set, the outcome was on similar lines as they wrapped up the tie with a 45-21 win in the second set.

Results (Until session 2):

Group A:
Japan beat Ireland 2-0 (45-22, 45-16); Thailand beat Portugal 2-0 (45-16, 45-23)

Group B:
France beat Egypt 2-0 (45-25, 45-34); USA beat Norway 2-0 (45-18, 45-21)

Group D:
China beat England 2-0 (45-22, 45-19), Turkiye beat Ghana 2-0 (45-11, 45-27)

Group E:
Denmark beat Brazil 2-0 (45-43, 45-35)

Group F:
Philippines beat Hong Kong China 2-1 (42-45, 45-28, 45-43)

Group G:
Korea beat Bhutan 2-0 (45-5, 45-17), Romania beat Poland 2-1 (42-45, 45-39, 45-41)

Group H:
India beat Sri Lanka 2-0 (45-27, 45-21); UAE beat Nepal 2-0 (45-29, 45-18).