Birthday boy Harmeet provides a twist in the tale;
Cuttack, July 19: England tried to change the script, but the Indian men brought in a twist to the tale through birthday boy Harmeet Desai to end the English hopes to lift the Host Association’s Cup, while Indian women played their characters to perfection to script their win for the India Cup in the 21st Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium here today.
Indian Men's & Women's team on the victory podium after winning their respective golds at 21st Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships 2019.#Smash_It 🏓#CTTC2019 #Odisha2019 pic.twitter.com/S3KZAWbHm2
— Odisha Sports (@sports_odisha) July 19, 2019
The Indian men beat England 3-2 while Indian women did the impossible downing Singapore 3-0 to dethrone the defending champions Singapore who had a stranglehold on the trophy since 1997. After having won the Cup for eight consecutive times, their vice-like grip was snapped when they chose to send a weak team.
Indian Men’s team beat England 3-2 in a thrilling final match to clinch gold at 21st Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship 2019.#Smash_It 🏓#CTTC2019 #Odisha2019 pic.twitter.com/wYdV5e2irn
— Odisha Sports (@sports_odisha) July 19, 2019
Men, on the other hand, could extend their reign for the second successive time after annexing the title in the previous edition at Surat in 2015. The Indian men had won their first crown in Kuala Lumpur in 2004.
Archana Kamath began it all for India but it took some time before she could shake off her rustiness to overcome Ho Tin-Tin, the promising player of Chinese origin with a pen-holder grip. Archana, when attacked on the forehand, found her returns going awry but her strong backhand rescued her against the Briton. After she won the extended second game, the Indian never looked back to put India on a winning path. Manika Batra decimated Denise Payet and Madhurika woke up from her passive play to tighten the noose around Emily Bolton and England for a 3-0sweep.
Here are the podium finishers for Women's Team event at 21st Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships 2019.
Host India🇮🇳 won the Gold🥇 while England🏴 settled for Silver🥈. Nigeria🇳🇬 & Singapore🇸🇬 bagged joint Bronze🥉 in this event. #Smash_It 🏓#CTTC2019 #Odisha2019 pic.twitter.com/XCeNw206mO
— Odisha Sports (@sports_odisha) July 19, 2019
BIRTHDAY SPECIAL:
Harmeet Desai, celebrating his 26th birthday, not only presented himself a wonderful gift but also brought India from the brink to a face-saving title victory. India, trailing 0-2 in the final, needed the Surab man to give that spark which was lacking. And he did not disappoint with a fantastic win over McBeath to pave the way for Sathiyan and Sharath to complete the task in their reverse singles.
Here's what birthday boy @HarmeetDesai has to say about the thrilling final encounter between India and England held at 21st Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships 2019.#Smash_It 🏓#CTTC2019 #Odisha2019 https://t.co/M5CF6J1x6L pic.twitter.com/C4k6AMWkKD
— Odisha Sports (@sports_odisha) July 19, 2019
If Sharath Kamal was awful against Thomas Jarvis, who is No. 186 in the world, in the opening tie, Sathiyan was equally guilty of plotting his own downfall against Samuel Walker, ranked No. 86. And that too after taking a 2-0 lead. But credit must be given to the two English players, especially Jarvis who not only blocked superbly but had the experienced Sharath in a tangle with his accuracy. Unable to counter him, Sharath threw in the towel earlier than one had expected him to.
Sathiyan faced a determined Walker who inched his way slowly but surely to first draw level and up the ante in the decider, keeping a sizeable lead. But Sathiyan was able to break the shackled and twice leveled the score at 7-7, 8-8 before the Briton romped home winners to give a nice cushion (2-0).
Enter Harmeet Desai, the twist came for India as he defeated David McBeath to provide the much-needed oxygen and India snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
The results (Team):
Men: Final: India bt England 3-2 (A. Sharath Kamal lost to Thomas Jarvis 7-11, 8-11, 4-11; G. Sathiyan lost to Samuel Walker 11-5, 11-9, 4-11, 8-11, 8-11; Harmeet Desai bt David McBeath 4-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8; G. Sathiyan bt Thomas Jarvis 11-2, 6-11, 11-4, 11-4; Sharath Kamal bt Samuel Walker 15-13, 12-10, 11-6); Semifinals: India bt Singapore 3-0 (A. Sharath Kamal bt Pang Yu En Koen 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 11-5; G. Sathiyan bt Chew Zheyu Clarence 11-6, 11-8, 13-11; Harmeet Desai bt Beh Kun Ting 11-9, 10-12, 11-9, 11-8); England bt Malaysia 3-1 (Samuel Walker bt Wong Qi Shen 11-5, 11-2, 9-11, 11-6; Thomas Jarvis bt Ashraf Muhamad Rizal 12-14, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7; Davis McBeath lost to Leong Chee Feng 11-9, 4-11, 11-5, 10-12, 7-11, Samuel Walker bt Ashraf Muhamad Rizal 8-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-2).
Positions: 3&4: Singapore bt Malaysia 3-0; 5&6: Nigeria bt Wales 3-0; 7&8: Australia bt Sri Lanka 3-0; 9: Cyprus; 10: South Africa; 11: Bangladesh; 12: Scotland.
Women: Final: India bt England 3-0 (Archana Girish Kamath bt Ho Tin-Tin 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-9; Manika Batra bt Denise Payet 11-6, 11-4, 11-3; Madhurika Patkar bt Emily Bolton 11-9, 11-7, 11-6); Semifinals: India bt Singapore 3-0 (Manika Batra bt Wong Xin Ru 7-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-3, 13-11; Archana G. Kamath bt Goi Rui Xuan 7-11, 11-2, 11-8, 11-5; Madhurika Patkar bt Lim Eunice oe 11-6, 11-7, 11-7); England bt Nigeria 3-0 (Ho Tin-Tin bt Cecilia Akpan 11-9, 11-3, 11-4; Denise Payet bt Offiong Edem 10-12, 11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 11-6; Emily Bolton bt Ajoke Ojomu 7-11, 11-7, 2-11, 11-5, 11-9).
Positions: 3&4: Singapore bt Nigeria 3-0; 5&6: Malaysia bt Australia 3-0; 7&8: Wales bt Sri Lanka 3-0; 9: Cyprus; 10: Scotland; 11: Bangladesh; 12: South Africa.
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