HS Prannoy wins decisive match against Denmark to steer India to historic final & More News Here

HS Prannoy produced a lion-hearted effort within the decisive fifth match because the Indian males’s badminton workforce scripted historical past by reaching the title conflict of the Thomas Cup Final for the primary time ever with a 3-2 victory over Denmark in an edge-of-the-seat semifinal in Bangkok.

Indian workforce, which by no means went previous the semifinals after 1979, confirmed large combating spirit because it got here from a match down to outwit the 2016 champions.

While world championships silver medallist Kidambi Srikanth and world quantity 8 doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty stored India within the hunt, it was as soon as once more left to HS Prannoy to take the workforce house when the tie was locked 2-2. Up against world quantity 13 Rasmus Gemke, Prannoy suffered an ankle harm after slipping on the entrance courtroom whereas going for a return however the Indian continued after taking a medical timeout.

He appeared in ache and his on-court motion additionally appeared restricted however regardless of all odds, he produced a sensational efficiency to come up trumps 13-21, 21-9, 21-12 to etch India’s identify within the historical past books.

India will now tackle 14-time champions Indonesia, essentially the most profitable workforce in historical past. Indonesia edged out Japan 3-2 of their semifinal.

It was a creditable efficiency from the Indian workforce, which on Thursday had snapped a 43-year lengthy wait by reaching the semifinals with a 3-2 win over five-time champions Malaysia, a feat final achieved in 1979.

It was all the time going to be an uphill activity for India to tame the formidable Denmark, which had turn into the primary European nation in historical past to safe the title in 2016.

Rather a lot rode on world championship bronze medallist Lakshya Sen, given his latest win over Viktor Axelsen on the German Open Super 300 however he could not replicate his efficiency because the world primary scripted a snug 13-21 13-21 win to hand Denmark a 1-0 lead.

Denmark determined to break up their world quantity 9 pair of Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen into two halves with Astrup partnering Mathias Christiansen within the first doubles.

However, Rankireddy and Shetty dished out a gritty efficiency, holding their nerves within the final phases to beat Astrup and Christiansen 21-18 21-23 22-20 to deliver India again within the contest.

The Indian pair confronted 5 match factors — two within the second recreation and three in third recreation — earlier than changing one to deliver pleasure again to the Indian camp.

With the tie locked 1-1, world quantity 11 Srikanth and world quantity 3 Anders Antonsen engaged in a battle of supremacy within the second singles with the previous popping out on prime with a gritty 21-18 12-21 21-15 outcome to give India a 2-1 lead.

India’s second doubles mixture of Krishna Prasad Garaga and Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala, nonetheless, was no match for Anders Skaarup Rasmussen and Frederik Sogaard, shedding 14-21 13-21 because the tie was tentatively posed at 2-2 after the fourth match.

The skilled Prannoy then misplaced the opening recreation however, fairly extremely, led 11-1 within the second recreation, regardless of harm. He depended extra on his assault to collect factors whilst Gemke failed to create stress on the Indian.

Prannoy dominated the entrance courtroom and shortly roared again into contest with Gemke committing too many errors.

Prannoy, ranked twenty third, stamped his authority together with his trademark smashes as Gemke’s defence lay in tatters. The Indian was up 11-4 up on the interval and continued to dominate the proceedings.

With the Impact Arena reverberating with chants of “HSP”, Prannoy grabbed 9 match factors with a straight down the road smash and sealed it on the second alternative as his teammates huddled collectively in celebration.

Published on: Friday, May 13, 2022, 11:24 PM IST