New Delhi: The Indian shuttlers made a positive start to their campaign at the BWF World Junior Badminton Championships, beating Sri Lanka 3-0 in their opening tie of the mixed team event here on Monday.
In their Group E match, the Indians took just 83 minutes to dispose of their opponents as the men double’s pair of Krishna Prasad Garaga and Dhruv Kapila combined well to beat the Sri Lankan duo of Chirath Illepuerumachchi and Gavin Dulsith Moragoda 21-11, 21-10 in just 27 minutes.
However, it was a bit of struggle in the women single’s event as Malvika Bansod was stretched by her rival from the island nation, Dilmi Dias, who started well to take the first game off the Indian.
But then Malvika came back strongly in the second to level the score before finally wrapping it up in the next to clinch a 14-21, 21-11, 21-16 win in 39 minutes to put India 2-0 up.
It was a bit of a shock start for Malvika as nothing initially went right for the shuttler with Dilmi mixing her shots cleverly to put the Indian in some discomfort. Malvika was guilty of indulging too much in net-play which gave away unnecessary negative points to her opponent. But the Indian was quick to realise her mistake and played a clinical game thereafter to romp home winners.
It was then left to the world junior number three Lakshya Sen and the reigning Asian Junior champion did not disappoint as he wrapped up the tie with a 21-9, 21-8 triumph in the men’s singles event over Dumindu Abeywickrama. It took him just 17 minutes to complete the formality.
The Indians will play their second group match against Kenya later today.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]