Thailand fought off a 1-2 deficit to beat Malaysia 3-2 in their opening men’s Group C encounter of the E-Plus Badminton Asia Team Championships 2018 yesterday in Alor Setar, Malaysia.

The tournament serves as a qualifying event for the TOTAL BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2018, with the four semi-finals assured of qualification.

Lee Chong Wei gave Malaysia the lead beat Khosit Phetpradab 21-13 21-9 in the opening Men’s Singles, but Kedren Kittinupong and Dechapol Puavaranukroh levelled the score for Thailand in Men’s Doubles, holding off Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong in an exciting finish, 16-21 21-19 22-20.

Malaysia again went into the lead through Lee Zii Jia in the second Men’s Singles, over Suppanyu Avihingsanon (21-14 21-12).

However, Tinn Isriyanet/Kittisak Namdash pulled Thailand back on level terms in the second Men’s Doubles, beating Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi 21-17 21-11. Thai youngster Kantaphon Wangcharoen (featured image) then gave Thailand victory beating Iskandar Zulkarnain 21-13 21-14 in the last match.

In the same group, Chinese Taipei beat Myanmar 5-0.

In the women’s team event, India, minus spearhead Saina Nehwal, outplayed Hong Kong 3-2 in Group W, with Pusarla V Sindhu shouldering the challenge.

Pusarla gave India the lead in the opening Women’s Singles, but Hong Kong made it 2-1 through Ng Wing Yung/Yeung Nga Ting in the Women’s Doubles – who beat Ashwini Ponnappa/Prajakta Sawant – and Cheung Ying Mei, who beat Sri Krishna Priya Kudaravalli in the second Women’s Singles.

Pusarla returned with Sikki Reddy for the second Women’s Singles, and the Indian duo beat Ng Tsz Yau/Yuen Sin Ying, before Ruthvika Shivani gave India the tie beating Yeung Sum Yee 16-21 21-16 21-13.

Results:

Men’s Team:

Group A: Hong Kong bt Singapore 5-0

Group B: Korea bt Nepal 5-0; Japan bt Kazakhstan 5-0

Group C: Thailand bt Malaysia 3-2; Chinese Taipei bt Myanmar 5-0

Group D: India bt Philippines 5-0; Indonesia bt Maldives 5-0

Women’s Team:

Group W: India bt Hong Kong 3-2

Group X: Chinese Taipei bt Maldives 5-0

Group Z: Indonesia bt Singapore 5-0

Group Y: Malaysia bt Vietnam 4-1; Thailand bt Philippines 5-0