Kidambi Srikanth rallied his way to a thrilling palm in a tense decider as India kept alive their expedients of winning a first- ever gold order at the Asian Games, reaching the men’s platoon crowns final with a 3- 2 palm over South Korea in Hangzhou on Saturday. This is India’s maiden entry into the final of the platoon event at the international showpiece. WorldNo. 7 HS Prannoy showed jitters of sword to brio back from an opening game reversal to outwit Jeon Hyeok Jin 18 21 21- 16 21- 19 and put India 1- 0 ahead but Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty lost the first doubles 13- 21 24- 26 to reigning world titleholders Seo Seung- Jae and Kang Min- hyuk as Korea made it 1- 1.
Lakshya Sen also put up a dominating show in the alternate mates to bring India back in business with a clinical 21- 7 21- 9 palm over Lee Yungyu but MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila lost 16- 21 11- 21 to Kim Wonho and NA Sungseung in the alternate doubles as the two brigades set up themselves on position terms formerly again.
(Read Also: Lakshya Sen enters the semi-finals of the Japan Open 2023)
Srikanth, a 2021 World Crowns tableware quarterfinalist, also fought his way under pressure to struggle once worldno. 163 Cho Geonyeop 12 21 21- 16 21- 14 and seal India’s place in the peak clash at the BJ Gymnasium.
India will look to live up to their Thomas Cup titleholders label when they face multiple- time gold quarterfinalist China in the final on Sunday.
Saturday’s palm assured India of at least a tableware order in badminton at the international crowns with two- time Olympic quarterfinalist PV Sindhu winning the first in women’s mates in the 2018 edition at Jakarta.
The last time the Indian men won a badminton order in platoon crowns was at the 1986 edition at Seoul where Sen’s tutor Prakash Padukone and Vimal Kumar played a pivotal part.
In total, India have so far bagged 10 badminton orders in Asian Games history, including three individual mates orders, three men’s platoon citation, two women’s platoon citation and one order each in men’s doubles and mixed doubles.
