Indian women won a promotion to the first division of the next edition of World Team Table Tennis championship with a 3-0 thrashing of Spain in Doha, Qatar.
The Indian team comprising national champion Poulami Ghatak, Mouma Das and Nandita Saha had no trouble in trouncing Spain in the play-off for the 25th and 26th position to decide the winner of the 2nd division on Friday night.
A new format is being followed for the event from this year under which the top 12 teams play for the championship while the other teams play in four divisions, of 12 teams each, depending on their world ranking.
The winner of every division qualifies for the higher division in the next edition of the championship.
The men's team, also playing in the second division, got the better of Egypt 3-2 but failed to top the group and will now play Nigeria for the 27th and 28th position.
Results:
Women: India beat Spain 3-0 (Poulami Ghatak beat S Ramirez 11-9, 11-4, 11-6; Mouma Das beat G Dvorak 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 Nandita Saha beat A Prades 7-11, 10-12, 12-10, 11-8, 11-5).
Men: India beat Egypt 3-2 (Chetan Baboor beat S Diaa 11-9, 11-5, 11-5; Achanta Sharath Kamal beat E Lashin 10-12, 3-11, 11-8, 15-13, 11-8; Soumyadeep Roy lost to E Mouselhi 11-6, 11-13, 10-12, 11-4, 7-11; Baboor lost to Lashin 11-4, 11-9, 7-11, 7-11, 6-11; Kamal beat Diaa 7-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6).