Badminton Asia Team Championship 2024: Indian women's team confirm maiden medal after 3-0 win over Hong Kong

The Indian women's badminton team delivered a strong performance as they defeated Hong Kong 3-0 in the quarter-finals of the 2024 Badminton Asia Team Championships held in Shah Alam, Malaysia on Friday. This victory also secures the team's first-ever medal in the tournament.

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Maintaining an unbeaten streak, India secured a semi-final berth for the first time since 2016, when the inaugural edition of the tournament took place.

The quarterfinal campaign began with PV Sindhu leading the charge against Lo Sin Yan Happy. Sindhu's three-game victory (21-7, 16-21, 21-12) set the tone for India's early momentum.

In the second match, Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto defeated Yeung Nga Ting and Yeung Pui Lam with a score of 21-10, 21-14, further solidifying India's position with a 2-0 lead.

Ashmita Chaliha sealed India's spot in the semi-finals with a decisive 21-12, 21-13 win over Yeung Sum Yee, securing a 3-0 victory overall. India now awaits the winner between China and Japan for their semifinal clash.

India's Group stage:

Before this, India had delivered a stunning performance by defeating formidable China 3-2 in the women's group stage competition. With just two teams in Group W, India had already secured a knockout round berth even before their opening match. However, they went on to get a surprise victory over the top-seeded Chinese team.

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Star shuttler PV Sindhu got a victory on her return after a four-month injury layoff. She had been sidelined since October last year following a knee injury at the French Open. Sindhu defeated the higher-ranked Han Yue with a score of 21-17, 21-15 in 40 minutes, giving India a 1-0 lead in the tie.

Later, Tanisha Castro and Ashwini Ponappa lost to Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning with a score of 19-21, 16-21, followed by Ashmita Chaliha's defeat to Wang Zhi Yi with a score of 13-21, 15-21, leaving India trailing 1-2 after three matches.

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India levelled the score when Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand won against Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min 10-21, 21-18, 21-17. 

However, the deciding match provided a shocker as 17-year-old Anmol Kharb, ranked 472nd, emerged victorious over world number 149 Wu Luo Yu with a score of 22-20, 14-21, 21-18.