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The vibrant city of Hangzhou, China, bore witness to a thrilling badminton event during the Asian Games 2023. On Sunday, the Indian men's badminton team demonstrated exemplary skill and grit, to grab their first ever silver medal in the games. They narrowly lost the gold to the defending champions Chinese team, with a final score of 2-3.
Notably, this silver achievement marks a significant milestone for India, being the second-ever in Asian Games badminton. The country fondly recalls PV Sindhu's stellar performance leading to a silver in the women's singles during the Jakarta 2018 edition. With this recent addition, India's total medal tally in the sport at the Asian Games stands at 11 - comprising two silver and nine bronze.
The path to the finals wasn't without its hurdles. Heading into this crucial showdown against China, the defending champions, India had a significant setback. HS Prannoy, celebrated as India's top singles player in the global badminton circuit, had to be benched due to a back injury. Despite this, rising stars Lakshya Sen, along with the dynamic duo Chirag Shetty-Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, notched up wins against formidable opponents, offering a glimmer of hope. However, Kidambi Srikanth, Dhruv Kapila-K Sai Pratheek, and Mithun Manjunath faced challenging matches and couldn't capitalize on the initial lead, resulting in a 2-3 loss to China.
Tracing back their journey, India registered a heart-stopping 3-2 victory over the Republic of Korea during the semi-finals and convincingly outplayed Nepal with a 3-0 score in the quarter-finals.
The performances of individual players were nothing short of thrilling. Lakshya Sen delivered an awe-inspiring performance against Shi Yuqi, navigating a tough match and eventually winning 22-20, 14-21, 21-18. Commonwealth Games champion, Lakshya, showcased immense mental fortitude, especially when he overcame a significant point deficit in the final game.
Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, facing the world's second-ranked pair, emerged victorious with a scoreline of 21-15, 21-18, boosting India's lead to 2-0.
With Prannoy's absence deeply felt, the pressure was palpable on Kidambi Srikanth, especially facing the reigning All England champion Li Shifeng. Unfortunately, Srikanth couldn't seal the win, losing 24-22, 21-9.
The subsequent matches, featuring Dhruv Kapila partnering with Sai Pratheek (due to MR Arjun's unavailability) and Mithun Manjunath, were challenging affairs. Both faced higher-ranked opponents, and despite their best efforts, couldn't clinch victory. This resulted in India settling for a silver medal, a significant accomplishment given that it's their first in this event since 1976.
In a parallel development, the Republic of Korea showcased dominance in the women's team event, securing gold with a decisive 3-0 win against China. Meanwhile, the Indian women's team wrapped up their Hangzhou 2023 campaign in the quarter-finals after a loss to Thailand.
As Hangzhou continues to buzz with badminton fervor, enthusiasts eagerly await the commencement of singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events scheduled for October 2, anticipating more thrilling matches and stellar performances.
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