CWG 2022: Indian badminton team down Australia 4-1 to top Group A, quarter-finals against South Africa

India completed a hat-trick of easy wins by defeating Australia 4-1 in the mixed team badminton championship at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Saturday (July 30).

The defending champions maintained their ruthless run as they overwhelmed the Aussies in their final Group A match.

The loss in the women's doubles match was the only difference from the previous two league wins.

They will now take on South Africa in the quarter-finals on Sunday (July 31) night.

India launched their campaign by running through Pakistan 5-0 on Friday (July 29) followed by a similar treatment to Sri Lanka to assure themselves of a place in the quarter-finals.

Kidambi Srikanth and PV Sindhu make comeback

World Championship silver medalist Kidambi Srikanth and double Olympic medalist PV Sindhu made a comeback into the Indian team and delivered the expected results.

Both Srikanth and Sindhu were rested for the tie against Sri Lanka after registering easy wins against their Pakistan opponents on the first day.

World No. 11 Srikanth gave his country a flying start, defeating Lin Xiang Ying 21-14, 21-13 in an easy contest. The former world No. 1 shuttler established an early lead in both the games and maintained it till the end.

World No. 7 PV Sindhu then made it 2-0 by outclassing Chen Wendy Hsuan-Yu 21-10, 21-12.

B Sumeeth Reddy and Chirag Shetty overcame a late fightback from Tran Hoang Pham and Jack Yu before pulling out a 21-16, 21-19 win to give their team an unassailable 3-0 lead.

Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand beaten by Aussie pair

The defending champions suffered a rare defeat in the women’s doubles. World No. 39 pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand Pullela were beaten 13-21, 19-21 by Chen Hsuan-Yu and Gronya Somerville. In the two league matches that preceded the contest, the teenage pair of Treesa and Gayatri notched up impressive wins over their respective opponents.

India then bounced back and made it 4-1 with mixed doubles pair Summeth Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa dismissing Ying Xiang Lin and Gronya Somerville 21-14, 21-11 in the fifth and last match.

By winning all three league matches, India topped Group A. Sri Lanka finished second, winning two and losing one.

Results (Group A)

India beat Australia 4-1

Men’s singles

Kidambi Srikanth bt Ying Xiang Lin 21-14, 21-13

Women’s singles

PV Sindhu bt Hsuan-Yu Wendy Chen 21-10, 21-12

Men’s doubles

B Sumeeth Reddy-Chirag Shetty bt Tran Hoang Pham-Jack Yu 21-16, 21-19

Women’s doubles

Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand Pullela lost to Hsuan-Yu Wendy Chen-Gronya Somerville 13-21, 19-21

Mixed doubles

B Sumeeth Reddy-Ashwini Ponnappa bt Ying Xiang Lin-Gronya Somerville 21-14, 21-11.