Asian Games: Indian Women’s Table Tennis Team Sweeps Past Pakistan 3-0, Reaches Quarterfinals
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
The Indian women’s table tennis team registered a commanding 3-0 victory over Pakistan to top Group F and qualify for the quarterfinals of the Asian Games in Toyota on Monday.
India finished the group stage with three wins from three matches, securing their place in the knockout stage.
Sutirtha Gives India a Strong Start
Sutirtha Mukherjee, who won a bronze medal in the women’s doubles event at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, got India off to a flying start. She defeated Aleena Khan 11-3, 11-3, 11-4 in just 10 minutes.
Asian Games debutant Syndrela Das then defeated Kalsoom Khan 11-6, 11-7, 11-5 to put India 2-0 ahead.
Sreeja Akula completed the sweep with an 11-4, 11-4, 11-5 victory over Fatima Khan.
Indian Men’s Team Suffer Loss Against Iran
The Indian men’s team began its Group F campaign with a 3-0 victory over Indonesia on Sunday. Sathiyan Gnanasekaran defeated Muhammad Negara 3-0, while Manav Thakkar beat Muhammad Junindra 3-2 and Manush Shah defeated Affan Pratama 3-0.
However, India lost its second group tie 0-3 against Iran later. Manush Shah, Manav Thakkar and Harmeet Desai were defeated in their respective matches.
The Indian men’s team will face Pakistan in its final group match later in the day.
Seven Gold Medals on Offer in Table Tennis
Seven gold medals will be contested across men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, men’s and women’s team events, and mixed doubles.
The team events will be held first, followed by the individual competitions. The final table tennis medal events are scheduled for September 28.
India’s Asian Games Table Tennis Medal Record
India has won three Asian Games table tennis medals, all bronze.
The first came at Jakarta 2018, where the Indian men’s team secured the country’s maiden Asian Games table tennis medal. Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra later won another bronze in mixed doubles.
At Hangzhou 2023, Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee won bronze in women’s doubles, marking India’s first Asian Games medal in the event. Sutirtha is part of India’s women’s team at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.
