CWG 2022: Indian Badminton team reach semis of mixed team event with 3-0 win over South Africa

Indian Badminton team on Sunday qualified for the mixed team event semifinals at Commonwealth Games 2022, with a 3-0 win over South Africa. After a relatively easy win over Australia in the quarterfinal, the Indian side confirmed their place in the semis, after taking 3-0 unassailable lead over South Africa. 

Indian mixed pairing of Ashwini Ponappa and Sumeeth Reddy draw first blood with 21-9 and 21-11 victory in straight sets over the pair of Jarred and Deidre. 

Having taken a 1-0 lead in the tie over South Africa, Lakshya Sen doubled India's tally to further put his side in the driving seat after beating Caden Kakora 21-5, 21-6. Sen outclassed his opponent and he had too much in the tank as he toyed around with Kakora. 

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After the dominant performance from Lakshya Sen put India on the verge of the semifinals, the onus was on Aakarshi Kashyap to put the cherry on the cake.  

INDIA THROUGH TO SEMIS!

.@AakarshiK closes the third match in straight games as outclass 3-0 to wrap up the tie.

Kudos on the win, champs!@himantabiswa | @sanjay091968 #IndiaPhirKaregaSmash#IndiaontheRise#CommonwealthGames2022 #Birmingham2022 pic.twitter.com/jHgYVHm7UM

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) July 31, 2022

She was, however, made to work hard by her South African opponent Johanita Scholtz, but in the end, Aakarshi overcame the challenge, confirming India's berth in the semifinals of the mixed Badminton team event in the Commonwealth Games with a victory of 21-11, 21-16. 

Aakarshi gave a good account of herself in the first set, but she was pushed all the way by Scholtz, however, she kept her nerve to seal India's passage into the next round.