by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
In the initial phase of affairs, the India ‘B’ trio comprising Yashini Sivasankar, Srushti Haleangadind and Prapti Sen had recorded a three-one success in opposition to the India ‘A’ formation of Archana Girish Kamath, Moumita Dutta and Selena Selvakumar.
At the final hurdle, precedence prevailed; no Selena Selvakumar in the line-up, a three-two win was secured by India ‘A’.
Yashini Sivasankar beat both Moumita Dutta (13-11, 11-4, 11-8) and Archana Girish Kamath (7-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11-8, 11-9) but that was to prove the sum total of success for India ‘B’. In the second match of the fixture Archana Girish Kamath accounted for Srushti Haleangadind (11-4, 11-13, 11-4, 11-5), before joining forces with Moumita Dutta to secure the doubles in opposition to Srushti Haleangadind and Prapti Sen (7-11, 11-7, 12-10, 12-10.
Success for Moumita Dutta and a reversal of fortunes; the previous day she had been beaten by Srushti Haleangadi (8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9) and by Yashini Sivanksankar (7-11, 1-11, 11-7, 12-10, 12-10), whilst sandwiched in between partnering Selena Selvakumar had experienced a four games doubles defeat at the hands of Srushti Haleangadind and Prapti Sen (11-7, 11-6, 11-6, 11-4).
In the final she was the heroine; in the vital fifth and concluding match of the fixture, she overcame Srushti Haleangadind to seal the victory (11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6).
Early at the semi-final stage with Selena Selvakumar on duty, India ‘A’ had beaten the India ‘B’ Team trio of Surbi Patwari, Ishita Gupta and Varuni Jaiswal by three matches to nil; by the same margin in the same round, India ‘B’ had overcome the combination of Thailand’s jinnipa Sawettabut and Singapore’s Zhang Wanling.
Gold for India ‘A’ in the Junior Girls’ Team competition; it was the same colour in the Cadet Girls’ Team event. At the final hurdle Munmun Kundu and Anusha Kutumbale overcame the Korean duo of Lee Dagyeong and Heo Yeeun by three matches to two.
The player to impress was Lee Dagyeong, she accounted for both Anusha Kutumbale (11-9, 11-8, 11-4) and Munmun Kundu (11-7, 12-10, 11-5).
