Mumbai: It won’t be an India versus Pakistan final, like last time. And, like last time, it won’t be gold.
Like in the singles final, India’s world No.26 started promisingly and took an 8-4 lead in the first game. The 18-ranked Malaysian reeled off seven straight points from there and never looked back in the 3-0 (11-8, 11-8, 11-8) win. The 25th-ranked Hong Kong No.1 made full use of that reprieve, pulling off the match from the 17th-ranked Indian teen’s grasp 3-2 (9-11, 8-11, 11-6, 13-11, 12-10).
Both India’s singles silver medallists lost on the day, in totally different circumstances. Anahat lost the point, and the game. Abhay Singh was up against a player he had never beaten, and Eain Yow wasn’t going to let him again. With Anahat Singh up two games and holding a match ball on the fourth, a high ball by Sin Yuk Chan that clearly went over the pink line of the front wall wasn’t called out by the referee. Anahat put her left arm up immediately, yet with nothing coming from the referee, play carried on.
The Indian men’s squash team was upset by Malaysia 2-1 in the semi-finals at the Aich-Nagoya Asian Games on Thursday. Leading in the first game, the Indian appeared frustrated with a few refereeing calls and trailed 7-9 until he gathered himself to take the game. Instead of nearly being 1-0 up, India were 1-0 down. The world No.73 rallied to get past Ka YiLee, ranked 33 places above her, 3-1 (4-11, 13-11, 11-9, 13-11) after being blown away in the first game.
Because india were the defending champions from that memorable and drama-filled triumph against Pakistan three years ago in Hangzhou, upset,. Because while India had three players in the PSA’s top 50 ranking, Malaysia had one, and. It was the left-handed Indian’s turn next, and the pressure of seeing his team through rested on Velavan. As Ameeshenraj raised his game, Velavan started running out of gas. Soon, he was also out of ideas to stop the inspired Malaysian who had his entire team up on its feet. A big performance was needed from Tanvi Khanna to keep her team alive, and she delivered.
