The Indian women's badminton team made history by clinching the Badminton Asia Team Championships title on January 18 (Sunday) in Selangor, Malaysia. In a closely contested final, they defeated Thailand 3-2. This marks the first occasion for India to secure the esteemed continental team championship title in the sport's history. PV Sindhu uploaded a heart-warming video on social media showcasing a ‘golden key’ that unlocked the coveted trophy following India’s win.
PV Sindhu took to social media to share a video capturing herself and Indian teammates, along with the team's support staff and coach, forming a circle, each posing with a golden key. In the video, Sindhu is then seen using the key to unlock a casket, revealing the cherished Badminton Asia Team Championships trophy inside.
The video also features a text that reads, “The golden key to unlock this precious trophy”
Here’s The Video:
The video has garnered an overwhelming response from Indian team supporters and fans, with congratulatory comments flooding in. Within just 12 hours of being uploaded, the video has amassed nearly 600k views and over 60k likes, showcasing the immense excitement and support for the historic achievement.
India's Top Tier Performance Against Thailand In Final
The highly anticipated final lived up to its hype, and in a stellar performance, India's PV Sindhu, competing in her first tournament after recovering from an injury layoff, secured a 1-0 lead for India by defeating Supaninda Katethong with a score of 21-12, 21-12 in a mere 39 minutes.
India then extended their lead to 2-0 as Gayatri Gopichand and Jolly Treesa secured a hard-fought victory over Jongkolpham Kititharakul and Rawwinda Prajongjal in a three-game battle. Despite being down 6-11 in the final game, Gayatri and Jolly maintained their composure, staging a comeback to defeat the Thai pair 21-16, 18-21, 21-16 in the first doubles match of the 5-match tie.
Ashmita Chaliha faced defeat in the final to Busanan Ongbamrungphan with a scoreline of 11-21, 14-21. India also suffered a setback in the second doubles match, where the backup pair of Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra lost in straight games to Benyapa Aimsaard and Nuntakarn Aimsaard, leading to the scores being level at 2-2.
However, 16-year-old Anmol Kharb excelled once again in the decisive match. Displaying exceptional composure she defeated World No. 45 Pornpicha Choeikeewong in straight games and secured the decisive win for India. She closed out the match in straight games, triumphing over Pornpicha with a scoreline of 21-14, 21-9 in just 43 minutes.