India Shines with Bronze in Asian Table Tennis Championships

The Indian men’s and women’s table tennis teams secured bronze medals at the Asian Table Tennis Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan. The men's team was defeated by Chinese Taipei in the semifinals. Such achievements mark a milestone in India's ascent in international table tennis competition.

In a thrilling match on Thursday, the Indian men's table tennis team concluded their journey in the Asian Table Tennis Championships semifinals with a strong performance. Although they fell to Chinese Taipei with a 0-3 scoreline, they proudly secured the bronze medal. This success echoes the women's team achievement from Wednesday, as they clinched India's first bronze in the category since the competition began in 1972.

The legendary player Achanta Sharath Kamal, world-ranked No. 42, faced a formidable opponent in the world No. 7 Lin Yun-Ju, struggling against the latter's precise and rapid play. Sharath Kamal suffered a defeat with scores of 11-7, 12-10, 11-9.

Manav Thakkar then faced Kao Cheng-Jui, a world No. 22 player, in a match full of tension, but ultimately succumbed with scores of 11-9, 8-11, 11-3, 13-11. Harmeet Desai completed the series of matches, meeting his own challenges as he was outplayed by Huang Yan-Cheng with scores of 6-11, 9-11, 7-11. Despite the setbacks, both men's and women's teams have shown grit, proving India's growing stature in international table tennis, as the Table Tennis Federation of India proudly remarked.

(With inputs from agencies.)