Asian Games: Indian shuttlers out of badminton team events

Star woman shuttler Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap scored impressive wins but the Indian challenge ended in the both men's and women's team events in the Asian Games in Guangzhou today.

India's women lost 2-3 to Indonesia while the men's team suffered a 1-3 defeat against Chinese Taipei at Tianhe Gymnasium.

Saina gave India a winning start by beating Adriyanti Firdasari 21-16 21-17 in the first singles in just 30 minutes.

The doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa consolidated the lead by beating Greysia Polli and Meiliana Jauhari 21-17 17-21 23-21 in 44 minutes.

However, India went on to lose the next three rubbers.

The slide began with the defeat of Aditi Mutatkar, who went down 10-21 16-21 to MF Kusumastuti.

Aparna Balan and Prajakta Sawant's 11-21 11-21 defeat against Liliyana and Maheshwari Nitya Krishinda locked the tie 2-2.

All eyes were on Arundhati Pantawane but she could not do it for India, losing the fifth and decisive rubber 9-21 10-21 to Linda Wenifanetri.

The men's competition started with the defeat of Arvind Bhat as Hsing Yu Hsieh saw off his challenge 28-26, 15-21, 21-13 in rubber one.

India desperately needed a wining effort from Sanave Thomas and Akshay Dewalkar in the doubles rubber but they lost 19-21 17-21 to Chieh-Min Fang and Sheng Mu Lee.

India were down 0-2 but Kashyap kept his team afloat by recording a come-from-behind win over Hsuan Yi Hsueh.

The Commonwealth Games bronze medallist won 18-21, 21-13, 23-21 and left it to his teammates to save the tie for India.

However, Indian hopes came crashing down when the doubles pair of V Diju and Rupesh Kumar lost the next rubber 17-21 20-22 to Hung Ling Chen and Yu Lang Lin.

Since India had surrendered the tie, the fifth rubber between Rajah Gurusaidutt and Tien Chen Chou was not played.