India concluded their BWF Sudirman Cup 2024 campaign on a positive note with a 3-2 victory over England in their final Group D match on Thursday, despite being already out of contention for the quarterfinals.
After back-to-back 1-4 defeats to Denmark and Indonesia, India had no hopes of progressing, with both opponents sealing the two knockout berths from the group. However, the Indian contingent displayed spirit and determination to finish on a high at the Xiamen Fenghuang Gymnasium.
World No. 44 Anupama Upadhyaya opened India’s account with a commanding performance in the women’s singles. She needed just 41 minutes to dispatch Miu Lin Ngan 21-12, 21-16, giving India an early lead.
Satish Kumar Karunakaran followed up with a hard-fought men’s singles win over Harry Huang. After losing the first game, Karunakaran bounced back to claim a 18-21, 22-20, 21-13 victory in a marathon match lasting one hour and 13 minutes, putting India 2-0 up.
India sealed the tie in the third rubber when women’s doubles duo Tanisha Crasto and Shruti Mishra defeated England’s Lizzie Tolman and Estelle Van Leeuwen 21-17, 21-17 in just 42 minutes, ensuring a morale-boosting win.
With the result already in the bag, India dropped the final two matches. The men’s doubles pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi went down 14-21, 21-11, 13-21 to Rory Easton and Alex Green in a competitive 52-minute encounter.
The day ended with a mixed doubles contest where Karunakaran paired with Crasto, but the Indian pair fell short against Callum Hemming and Van Leeuwen in a closely fought match, losing 21-11, 13-21, 22-24.
Though the win had no bearing on the tournament standings, it marked a resilient end to India’s Sudirman Cup outing. With a mix of emerging talent and gutsy performances, the campaign offered glimpses of promise despite the early exit.
Indonesia and Denmark progressed from Group D to the quarterfinals, leaving India to regroup and reflect on missed opportunities while taking heart from a spirited finish.
