India crash out of Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships after losing to Japan-OxBig News Network

India’s hopes of winning a medal at the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships for the second successive edition came to a crushing end on Friday, February 14. India lost to Japan 0-3 in the quarter-final tie in Qingdao, China. India won the bronze medal in the 2023 edition, but despite fielding a strong side in China, the Asian giants were not even able to reach the semi-final stage of the tournament.

It was a huge disappointment as India’s best bets — their doubles pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty and Gayatri Gopichand-Treesa Jolly — did not even get a chance to compete as India lost the tie 0-3 before the last two doubles matches.

Star shuttler HS Prannoy was not able to win the men’s singles match and keep the tie alive when India were down 0-2. The Asian Games bronze medallist lost to higher-ranked Kenta Nishimoto, handing Japan an unbeatable 3-0 lead. Prannoy fought back from a game down to force a decider, but Nishmoto got off the blocks in the third game quickly and never let the Indian shuttler, beating him 21-14, 15-21, 21-21 in an hour and 17-minute battle.

Earlier in the day, facing the World No. 12 combination of Hiroki Midorikawa and Natsu Saito in the first match of the tie, Dhruv and Tanisha forced a decider with a spirited fightback in the second game. But, the experienced Japanese combination prevailed in the 61-minute contest 21-13, 17-21, 21-13 to take the lead.

Malvika then had the task of stopping World No. 8 Tomoka Miyazaki, but her efforts were not enough as she went down 21-12, 21-19 against the Japanese star shuttler.

India missed the services of PV Sindhu, who pulled out of the tournament due to an injury.

INDIA 0-3 JAPAN – QUARTERFINAL RESULTS

1. Dhruv Kapila/Tanisha Crasto lost to Hiroki Midorikawa/Natsu Saito 13-21, 21-17, 13-21
2. Malvika Bansod lost to Tomoka Miyazaki 12-21, 19-21
3. HS Prannoy lost to Kenta Nishimoto 14-21, 21-15, 12-21.