Commonwealth Games: PV Sindhu-led India make light work of Pakistan in Group 1 encounter

Defending champions Indian badminton mixed team were off to a winning start in the group stages of Commonwealth Games 2022 as the PV Sindhu-led team defeated neighbours Pakistan 5-0 in Birmingham on Friday. All the wins for India came as straight-game wins in an opponent mismatch as minnows Pakistan struggled to match the quality of the higher-ranked Indians.

The triumph started with mixed pair Ashwini Ponnappa and B Sumeeth Reddy defeating  Muhammad Bhatti and Ghazala Siddique 21-9, 21-12 in the first tie. The lopsided matches continued in men's singles as World No. 11 Kidambi Srikanth beat World No. 768 Murad Ali 21-7, 21-12.

The biggest tie of the day with double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu up against World No. 175 Mahoor Shahzad in the women's singles tie also went in India's favour  21-7, 21-6. Sindhu's win also gave India 3-0 unassailable lead in the match.

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The remaining two inconsequential tie was also wrapped up by India with little or next to no discomfort as depth in Pakistan's squad was exposed. India's World No.8 men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeated Murad Ali/Muhammad Bhatti 21-12, 21-9. The Pak duo was also playing their second match of the night while none of the Indian shuttlers played twice.

The final encounter of the day saw young women's doubles pair Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly make mockery of an already tired Mahoor Shahzad/Ghazala Siddique with a 21-4, 21-5 win.

Indian team will next face Sri Lanka in their second Group 1 encounter against Sri Lanka on Saturday (30 July). A likely win against the minnows should book India's spot in the knockout round.

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