Indian Squash team creates history in Women's World Team Championships

Dipika Pallikal (File Photo)

The Indian Women’s Squash team created history to gate crash into the Quarter Finals for the first time ever.

After defeating higher ranked Ireland and Argentina in the pool stage, India seeded 10th, defeated Netherlands seeded 8th, in the pre-quarter final at the 2012 WSF Women’s World Team Championship in Nimes, France.

Anaka Alankamony went on first against Milou van der Heijden. We were aware that it was an even contest but Anaka showed great maturity and resilience to play a simple medium paced basic game to over come her opponent 3-0.

Dipika Pallikal went on next against former world no. 2 Natalie Grinham. From the onset, Natalie was firing from all cylinders. Dipika gave everything she had, but in vain as Natalie used her drops and lobs to great effect to win 3-0.

Joshana Chinappa (File Photo)

In the deciding match, our no. 2 player Joshana Chinappa gave us the jitters when she dropped the first against a charged up Orla Noom. She gathered herself in the second, using effective cross cross court drives and drops. The third once again was a close one going Orla’s way. The fourth game the match once again turned around, with Joshana using a wide array of shots which caught Olra Noom flat footed time and again. Joshana was on a roll and she convincingly won the final 2 games to ensure India made its historic entry into the elite world of squash – top 8.

This is only the 3rd time India has participated in this event which has been running since 1979. In 2002 Denmark, the Indian lasses finished 18th and in the last edition 2010 New Zealand, India finished 11th.

[10] INDIA bt [8] NETHERLANDS 2/1

Anaka Alankamony beat Milou van der Heijden 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 (42m)Dipika Pallikal lost Natalie Grinham 8-11, 4-11, 3-11Joshana Chinappa beat Orla Noom 5-11, 11-9,8-11, 11-2, 11-3 (49m)