India booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Badminton Asia Junior Mixed Team Championships with a commanding 2-0 victory over Kazakhstan in their Group C opener in Yatsushiro, Japan, on Saturday.
The Indian team outclassed Kazakhstan 55-31, 55-21 to seal qualification for the knockout stage ahead of a crucial group-stage clash against Chinese Taipei, which will determine the Group C winners.
India made a strong start in the doubles, with Durga Esha Kandrapu and Keerthy Manchala giving the team early momentum. The pair defeated Alissa Kuleshova and Diana Namenova 11-5 to put India in control.
Puneeth Suresh and Deepti Raj Aditi were tested in the second doubles match by Mustafa Malikzhan and Alissa Kuleshova but edged a closely fought contest 11-10 to extend India’s advantage.
After the hard-fought second doubles match, India asserted complete control by dominating the remaining three disciplines to comfortably wrap up the opening set 55-31.
The second set proved to be even more one-sided as the Indian shuttlers maintained their intensity throughout. None of the Indian players conceded more than six points in any of the individual matches as they completed a comprehensive 55-21 victory.
The emphatic win ensured India’s progression to the quarter-finals while also underlining the depth of the junior squad across all disciplines.
Attention will now turn to Sunday’s clash against Chinese Taipei, with the winner expected to top Group C and carry momentum into the knockout rounds as India continues its pursuit of the continental junior team title.
