Medal assured for Abhinandh and Bhowmick at Asian Youth TT

India’s top-seeded U-19 mixed doubles pair of PB Abhinandh and Divyanshi Bhowmick moved to the semifinal after producing a sensational victory over the Chinese combination at the Asian Youth Table Tennis Championships here on Wednesday. With the emphatic 11-9, 11-6, 11-7 quarterfinal triumph, the Indian pair has not only secured a place in the last four but also assured the country of at least a bronze medal in the prestigious continental championships.

Abhinandh and Divyanshi displayed remarkable composure and tactical discipline to outplay Yiren Tang and Yiyi Jiang of China. The victory underlined the growing stature of the Indian pair, who entered the championships as the top seeds and have so far lived up to that billing with a string of commanding performances. Earlier in the competition, the Indian duo had comfortably negotiated their Round of 16 encounter, booking their place in the quarterfinals.

Against the Hong Kong pair of Alvin Wong and Su Tsz Tung, they raised their game further, combining aggressive attack with consistent placement and excellent coordination to deny their opponents any opportunity to settle into rhythm. The Indians won 11-6, 11-8, 11-9.

The victory has set up an intriguing semifinal clash against Thailand’s Thitaphat Preechayan and Kulapassr Vijitviriyagul, who will enjoy home support but face the daunting task of stopping the tournament’s top-seeded pair. A win on Thursday would take the Indians into the championship final and keep alive their hopes of winning the coveted Asian title.