India set for rich medal haul in squash at Asian Games

The Indian squash contingent on Thursday assured its best ever showing at the Asian Games in Incheon by reaching the men's and women's team semi-finals, ensuring it returns home with medals in all four categories on offer.

The women's team including Dipika Pallikal and Joshana Chinappa dispatched China 3-0 to top Pool B after the men cruised past Japan with an identical scoreline at the Yeorumul Squash Courts.

While the women face hosts South Korea in the semi-finals, the men will take on Kuwait in the last four stage.

India lost their final league match 1-2 against Malaysia to finish second in the Pool. The winner of the match, the Malaysian men's team ended on top and will now clash against Hong Kong.

Both men's and women's Indian teams will pocket at least bronze medals for the reaching the semis, just like they did in Guangzhou four years ago. India are also set to surpass their 2010 tally of three bronze, having won a bronze and silver through Pallikal and Saurav Ghosal, respectively.

The Indian men's team, sans Ghosal, who was rested could win just one of their three matches.

Harinder Pal Sandhu went down fighting 2-3 (4-11, 12-10, 8-11, 11-8, 4-11) against Mohd Nafiizwan Bin Mohd Adnan in a battle that lasted 52 minutes before Kush Kumar lost 1-3 (10-12, 7-11, 11-5, 10-12). But Mahesh Mangaonkar turned out to be the saving grace as he won 3-0 (11-9, 11-3, 11-1 ret) after his opponent Ong Beng Hee retired mid-way through the game.

Though Indian women are expected to see through Korea, Pallikal said it will be tough to face them in front of their home crowd.

"I think it will be a good match. It is going to be tough playing against them in front of their home crowd but we have to be confident and go all out tomorrow," World No.12 Pallikal said.

The other semi-final will see mighty Malaysia take on Hong Kong, whom India beat on Wednesday to top their pool.

The settled Indian unit comfortably dealt with the Chinese challenge.

In the reverse playing order of 3-2-1, World No.21 Chinappa took 22 minutes to get past Jinyue Gu 11-5, 11-7, 11-8, while Anaka Alankamony took a minute extra than her team mate to beat Chen Xiu 12-10, 11-7, 11-8. Pallikal was surprised by Dongjin Li in the first game of the third singles before she came back strongly to settle the tie in India's favour. She won 6-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5.

Earlier, the men's team hardly broke a sweat against Japan.

Mangaonkar gave India a winning start, thrashing Tsukue Shinnosuke 11-5, 11-4, 11-4 before Sandhu got the better of Takanori Shimizu 11-3, 11-8, 11-5. World No.16 Ghosal, playing his first match of the team event, outplayed Yuta Fukui 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 in 20 minutes, sending India into the semi-finals.

Image: Dipika Pallikal of India in action

Photograph: PTI Photos