Indian Men’s Table Tennis Team Cruises to Victory Against Yemen in Asian Games Warm-Up Match

The Indian men’s table tennis team made a strong start to their Asian Games campaign in the team competition, recording a convincing 3-0 victory over Yemen in the preliminary round Group F on Friday.

The team, led by Commonwealth Games singles gold medalist Achanta Sharath Kamal, multiple-time National Champion G Sathiyan, and Harmeet Desai, dominated Yemen in the best-of-five matches encounter. All three Indian players won their respective matches with ease.

Sathiyan set the tone by securing an 11-3, 11-2, 11-6 victory over OAA Ali of Yemen in the opening tie. Sharath Kamal followed suit, contributing to India’s lead with a straight-games win over EAM Gubran, triumphing 11-3, 11-4, 11-6 in the preliminary round match held at the GSP Gymnasium.

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Harmeet Desai sealed the victory for India in the third match, delivering an 11-1, 11-1, 11-7 win against MAA Aldhubhani of Yemen.

Reflecting on the opening match, Sharath Kamal of India described it as straightforward due to Yemen fielding a young team. He expressed satisfaction with their winning start, saying, “It was kind of a warm-up match for us. They are a young team.”

When asked how they managed to stay focused and avoid complacency in an easy match, Sharath Kamal emphasized the importance of not underestimating any opponent. He acknowledged the need to adapt to local conditions, considering they might face tougher challenges in matches ahead, especially when China, playing on the adjacent table, enjoys strong crowd support. “With the kind of support they will get from the crowds as they are playing at home, you have to get used to playing in such conditions. So, we can’t be complacent,” he added.

In their upcoming fixture, India is scheduled to face Singapore later in the evening as part of the preliminary league.

-IANS