CWG 2022: Manika Batra and other Indian women paddlers off to winning start

India has kick-started its 2022 Commonwealth Games campaign. The paddlers are off to a winning start, led by Manika Batra.

The Indian women's table tennis team, led by Manika Batra, has emphatically begun its Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022 title defence. It has outclassed South Africa 3-0 in its opening Group 2 tie in Birmingham on Friday. The women's doubles duo of Sreeja Akula and Reeth Tennison began the proceedings for the Indian badminton contingent, who combined well to beat the South African team of Lailaa Edwards and Danisha Patel 11-7 11-7 11-5, as India earned the lead early into the competition. It was followed by the reigning CWG champion Manika Batra, who became the first Indian paddler to win the gold in the women's singles in the previous edition.

Batra lived upto her reputation and pummeled Musfique Kalam of South Africa 11-5 11-3 11-2 in her first singles contest. Akula then returned and scored a dominating win 11-5 11-3 11-6 over Patel in the second singles match of the day to seal the series for India. The Indian women would take on Fiji in their second group series later during the day.

(With inputs from PTI)