Asia Team Championships 2020: Kidambi Srikanth's team starts tournament with victory over Kazakhstan

Team India have started the Asia Team Badminton Championships with a 4-1 win over Kazakhstan. Kidambi Srikanth made an emphatic start after disappointing results in 2020.

Along with Srikanth, young star Lakshya Sen and Subhankar Dey also won their respective singles matches in Manila.

In the clash, the former world No. 1 took 23 minutes to win 21-10, 21-7 against Dmitriy Panarin. As for Sen, he notched up a 21-13 21-8 win over Artur Niyazov in 21 minutes while Dey beat Khaitmurat Kulmatov 21-11, 21-5 in 26 minutes in the third singles match.

World Championship bronze medallist B Sai Praneeth was not fielded in the singles and teamed up with Chirag Shetty to play the doubles. However, the duo lost to Niyazov and Panarin 21-18 16-21 19-21.

Match Results!@srikidambi bt Dmitriy:
21-10,21-7@lakshya_sen bt Artur:
21-13,21-8@deysubhankar06 bt Khaitmurat:
21-11,21-5@PRANNOYHSPRI& @Shettychirag04 lost to Artur&Dmitriy:
21-18,16-21,19-21@arjunmr & @dhruvkapilaa bt Nikita&Khaitmurat:
21-14,21-8#IndiaontheRise https://t.co/xp0MNoSEkN

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) February 11, 2020

The other Indian pair of M R Arjun and Dhruv Kapila beat the Kazakh duo of Nikita Bragin and Khaitmurat Kulmatov 21-14 21-8 in the second doubles match.

The Indian contingent was initially clubbed with two-time defending champions Indonesia and hosts Philippines in Group A. However, with China and Hong Kong not playing due to travel ban due to coronavirus, the draw was re-worked.

India are now placed in Group B along with Malaysia and Kazakhstan. The top two teams in each of the four groups will make it to the quarterfinals. 

While the men's team travelled despite the coronavirus outbreak, the women’s team chose not to travel for the competition. India next play Malaysia on Thursday.