India has confirmed a couple more medals in table tennis at the Commonwealth Games 2022. Sharath Kamal has had an enormous role to play.
Star Indian paddler Sharath Kamal continued with his sensational run, reaching the finals of both men's and mixed doubles events, assuring India of at least a couple more medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Birmingham on Saturday. Sharath foremost paired up with G Sathiyan, beating the Nicholas Lum and Finn Luu of Australia 3-2 (11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 12-14, 11-7) in a stimulating men's doubles semis contest. The Indian duo will now face Paul Drinkhall and Liam Pitchford of England for the gold medal. Sharath then joined forces with the young Sreeja Akula, entering the mixed doubles final with a searing 3-2 win over Nicholas Lum and Minhyung Jee of Australia.
Sharath Kamal/Sreeja Akula are in Finals of Mixed Double 🎉🎉 pic.twitter.com/0guxf2dGvQ
— Royal Hindustani (@Rudra2812)The Indian pair eked out an 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 12-14, 11-7 win and will compete for the gold against Karen Lyne and Choong Jayen of Malaysia. Sreeja put on a fair show in the women's singles before mourning a slim 3-4 loss to Tianwei Feng of Singapore. Akula lost 6-11, 11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 10-12 to Feng in a pulsating semis.
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After the team events were done (where he won the gold medal) Sharath Kamal has played 11 matches across singles, mixed doubles and men's doubles. and won all 11.
He is 40. 🔥
Good time to read this by : https://t.co/k0OqIN0RLg pic.twitter.com/enxtNLonkW
Earlier, Sharath and Sathiyan moved to the semis of the men's singles event. While Sharath did a short work of Yong Izaac Quek of Singapore 4-0 (11-6, 11-7, 11-4, 11-7), Sathiyan was racked in his 4-2 (11-5, 11-7, 11-5, 8-11, 10-12, 11-9) triumph by Sam Walker of England. "It was a great match. All credit to Sam. He fought hard. I should have closed in that fifth set, but I was a bit nervous," Sathiyan spoke.
Hat's off to Sharath Kamal, what a journey he has been upto in the .
Onto the finals in mixed doubles match with Sreeja Akula.
"I have never beaten Sam, so this came into my mind, and it was not so easy to play in a big match like this. I kept my cool in the end, and I took the match to get my first [CWG] semifinal, so I'm pleased," he added. However, it was curtains for Sanil Shetty, who blew a one-game lead and went down to home favourite Liam Pitchford 1-4 (11-9, 6-11, 8-11, 8-11, 4-11).
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Achanta Sharath Kamal is just 🔥
1st CWG gold in 2006 (Mens singles & Team)
16 years later he has led our Men's TT team to 🥇 & this time as defending champions
His mixed doubles partner Shreeja Akula was born in 1988 when Sharath made his domestic debut 😅 pic.twitter.com/3CpYrQI5iM
In the women's doubles, both Indian pairs -- Sreeja Akul and Reeth Tennison and Manika Batra and Diya Chitale -- won their pre-quarter ties. Akula and Tennnison defeated Chloe Anna Thomas Wu Zhang and Lara Whitton of Wales 11-7, 11-4, 11-3. Batra and Chitale conquered Jalim Nandeshwaree and Oumehani Hosenally of Mauritius 11-5, 11-5, 11-3.
India's Sharath Kamal achanta and Sreeja akula reaches into the FINAL of mixed doubles. Sharath Kamal achanta in this CWG
1. Wins Gold for men's team
2. Reached into semi final in men's singles
3. Reached into FINAL of mixed doubles
4. Reaches final of men's doubles
(With inputs from PTI)