India sweep men’s, women’s titles at Commonwealth TT

Manush Shah produced a heroic performance as India’s men’s team overcame a resilient Malaysia 3-2 in the final to lift the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships title in New Delhi on Thursday. Earlier, the women’s squad thrashed Malaysia without breaking a sweat, wrapping up the final with a 3-0 verdict at the Thyagaraj Stadium. It was a tricky final for the men’s team, especially after their loss to Malaysia in the league phase. India left out Harmeet Desai from the lineup, while the Malaysians brought in their second player to play the third rubber.

The tie appeared headed for a comfortable Indian win after Manav Thakkar raced to a 2-0 lead over left-handed Qi Shen Wong in the fourth rubber. However, the Malaysian, ranked No. 204, staged a remarkable comeback to beat world No. 41 Manav 2-3 and level the contest at 2-2, leaving the title to be decided by the fifth and final rubber featuring world No. 40 Manush Shah. Manush, who had earlier beaten Wong in a five-game battle after recovering from a 4-7 deficit in the decider by winning seven straight points, carried that confidence into the decisive match. He dominated from start to finish against Javen Choong, securing a comfortable straight-game victory to seal the gold medal for India.

In the women’s final, India blanked Malaysia 3-0.