With two Indian superstars in the team, the 2016 semi-finalists Awadhe Warriors are looking to shine at the upcoming 2017 Premier Badminton League (PBL-2), beginning on January 1. Both Saina Nehwal and Srikanth Kidambi battled an injury-plagued second half of 2016 and are eagerly looking to bounce back. There’s no better platform than the pan-Indian six-franchise league which can give the two marquee players the feel of international competition before they embark on the BWF Tour events.
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Nehwal, who won the Australian Open in June, suffered from a knee injury right before the Rio Olympics. She ultimately had to undergo a surgery and resumed playing competitively after three months in November.
In the three tournaments that she participated in, she made it to the quarter-finals in two of them, showing flashes of her tremendous fighting spirit. With adequate rest in the last three weeks, Saina is primed for a good show at the PBL-2.
Srikanth, who began 2016 by winning the Syed Modi International, failed to build on his Olympic quarter-final appearance due to an ankle injury sustained at the Japan Open. It prevented him from playing for the rest of the season, putting him out of action for three months. Having recovered now, the 23-year-old is making his comeback at the PBL-2. He will have good support from World No. 17 and reigning Vietnam Open champion Vincent Wong Wing Ki.
The doubles squad has been strengthened by the addition of the World No. 1 men's doubles player Goh V Shem of Malaysia. Shem is coming off a sparkling season which saw him triumph at the World Superseries Finals, the Denmark Open, the Syed Modi International, apart from clinching the Rio Olympic silver.
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Besides him, Bodin Isara is another valuable asset to the Warriors, who is repeating with the Lucknow franchise for the second consecutive season. The Indonesian won five of his six matches in 2016 and was very much instrumental in pushing the Awadhe Warriors to the semi-finals.
The highly-accomplished Markis Kido is another bonus for this team. The 2008 Olympic champion's rich experience can definitely be helpful for his teammates.
The mixed doubles challenge will be led by the tenth-ranked Savitree Amitrapai, who was the runner-up at the Swiss Open this year alongside Bodin Isara.
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Career highlights of Team Awadhe Warriors members:
Saina Nehwal (WR 10 in women’s singles, India) – 2012 Olympics bronze, 2010 Commonwealth Games gold, 2016 and 2010 Asian Championships bronze, 2016 and 2014 Australian Open, 2015 India Open, 2015 World Championships silver, 2015 All England Championships silver, 2014 China Open, 2012 Denmark Open, 2012, 2010 and 2009 Indonesia Open, 2010 Hong Kong Open, 2010 Singapore Open
Rituparna Das (WR 64 in women’s singles, India) – 2016 Polish Open, 2016 India International Series
Srikanth Kidambi (WR 15 in men’s singles, India) – 2016 Syed Modi International, 2015 Swiss Open, 2015 India Open, 2014 China Open, 2013 Thailand Open
Vincent Wong Wing Ki (WR 17 in men’s singles, Hong Kong) – 2016 Vietnam Open, 2015 Bitburger Open silver, 2014 Macau Open silver, 2013 US Open silver, 2009 New Zealand Open Grand Prix silver
Aditya Joshi (WR 137 in men’s singles, India) – 2016 Bahrain International Challenge silver
Bodin Isara (WR 16 in men’s doubles, Thailand) – 2016 Denmark Open and French Open silver, 2012 India Open, 2012 Vietnam Open, 2011 Bitburger Open in men’s doubles
Goh V Shem (WR 1 in men’s doubles, Malaysia) – 2016 Olympic silver, 2014 Commonwealth Games gold, 2014 Asian Games bronze, 2013 Asian Championships bronze, 2013 and 2011 Southeast Asian Games bronze, 2016 World Superseries Finals, 2016 Denmark Open, 2016 Syed Modi International, 2015 Yonex Grand Prix, 2014 Malaysia Open, 2013 Malaysia Grand Prix Gold, in men’s doubles
Markis Kido (WR 36 in men’s doubles, Indonesia) – 2008 Olympic gold, 2007 World Championships, 2010 Asian Games, 2005 and 2009 Asian Championships, 2005, 2007 and 2009 Southeast Asian Games gold, 2013, 2009 and 2008 French Open, 2012 Singapore Open, 2009 Japan Open, 2008 Denmark Open, 2008 China Masters, 2008 Malaysia Open, 2007 Hong Kong Open, 2007 China Open in men’s doubles
Prajakta Sawant (WR 64 in women’s doubles, India) – 2016 Mauritius International, 2013 Bangladesh Open International Challenge, 2011 Swiss International in women’s doubles
Savitree Amitrapai (WR 10 in mixed doubles, Thailand) – 2016 Swiss Open silver medal, 2015 Malaysia International Challenge, 2015 Bahrain International Challenge, 2011 Hanoi Vietnam Challenge, 2010 Tata Open India International in mixed doubles
