Team India celebrate winning badminton team gold medal. (Source: Reuters)
CWG 2018, India vs Malaysia Mixed-team badminton: Indian mixed badminton team claimed its maiden Commonwealth Games gold medal, thrashing three-time defending champions Malaysia in the final in Gold Coast on Monday. The pair of Satwik Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa claimed the mixed doubles match against Peng Soon Chan and Liu Yong Goh 21-14 15-21 21-15, before Kidambi Srikanth stunned three-time Olympic silver medallist Lee 21-17 21-14 in straight games. Men’s doubles pair of Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty lost to Goh and Wee Kiong Tan 15-21 20-22. This led to Saina Nehwal helping India to the historic gold with a 21-11 19-21 21-9 win over Soniia Cheah in the women’s singles match. Here are the highlights:
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Highlights
SAINA WINS, INDIA WINS
Saina Nehwal wins the super-intense, crucial women's singles match against Malaysia's Cheah 21-11, 19-21, 21-9. And with that India win their first badminton team event GOLD in the Commonwealth Games 2018.
Malaysia wins men's doubles, India still leads 2-1
Malaysia does it! Wins the first match on the FINAL day in men's doubles, as Satwik-Chirag go down 21-15, 21-19. India still lead 2-1 in badminton mixed-team event
Kidambi Srikanth wins 21-17, 21-14
Srikanth wins the men's singles event of mixed-team final against Malaysia's Chong Lee 21-17, 21-14 in 43 minutes. India takes a 2-0 lead in the FINAL!
India win mixed-doubles, take 1-0 lead
And Ashwini-Satwik did it! What a match, what a super super-intense decider. India win the mixed -doubles match 21-14, 21-14, 21-15 to take 1-0 lead in the final.
Mixed doubles
Satwik Rankireddy amd Ashwini Ponnappa are the first to go as India take on Chan Peng Soon & Goh Liu Ying of Malaysia in mixed doubles.
India vs Malaysia Live
India mixed-team have looked very impressive in Gold Coast so far. The side have blanked the opposition 5-0 in the group stages before winning 3-0 and 3-1 in the quarters and semis respectively. But Malaysia could be a different proposition altogether. With Lee Chong Wei in their midst, the men's singles contest between him and Kidambi Srikanth would be most sought after.
And the Indian flag flies high as the Indian shuttlers receive their gold medals. Another good day at the CWG. India's gold medal-tally now reaches 10.
Kashyap praises the coaching staff for the historic CWG medal!
Here is a shout-out to all the fans present at the Sports Arena cheering India on
With the win, India gets their first-ever Gold in team badminton at the Commonwealth Games. A great show throughout the tournament by team India. Reactions have started coming in.
Saina Nehwal wins the super-intense, crucial women's singles match against Malaysia's Cheah 21-11, 19-21, 21-9. And with that India win their first badminton team event GOLD in the Commonwealth Games 2018.
What a rally! What a great rally! And with that she earns 20 points, more than 10-point lead and is a point away from winning the match.
And Saina is back in her no-mercy mode. She is now in a hurry to end this game, taking 16-9 lead. Oh Saina, you beauty!
Saina goes to the mid-game break with 11-9 lead. Banking on Saina for her rich experience
Saina makes it 7-7. Then Cheah makes it 8-8. The intensity of the match makes Saina smile as Cheah tests the Indian shuttler.
Neither of the two are ready to let their opponent enjoy lead for a long time! Cheah steals the lead back from Saina after an amazing rally
Cheah's smash goes out! Saina takes 5-3 lead as thousands of Indians cross their fingers during the thrilling decider
Another intense game underway. Saina, Cheah are neck-to-neck at 2-2 in the decider. Cheah puts Saina to test.
The super-intense game ends with Cheah winning 21-19 against Saina. Match goes into decider
The game is getting too intense. A great smash from India and the game is level at 19-19
Game level at 18-18 after Cheah took medical time-out. An intense match underway as both the shuttlers reply to a point with a point.
Cheah takes lead after the medical time-out. She leads Saina by three points. Is this looking to go into decider?
Cheah is being treated for a cut by the medical team. Both the players get some rest and the crowd gets reason to scream at the top of their lungs
Saina Nehwal goes into the mid-game break with 11-10 lead. A couple of errors cost her crucial points. The Indian shuttler now needs to extend the lead.
Great comeback from Cheah, who has found back her fighting spirit, as she bridges the point gap between them to one. India 9-8 Malaysia.
Saina is unleashing her merciless self! She has taken a 4-point lead after letting Cheah believe that the game was in her favour at the start.
Saina Nehwal is on fire! She earns 12 points in a row to win the first game 21-11 as Cheah looks clueless.
Saina confidently destroys her opponent. Like the commentator says, Saina Nehwal is on fire! Saina a point away from winning the first game.
Saina Nehwal turns the game to her advantage. The Indian shuttler gets into her element to take a strong 15-11 lead as the crowd is roaring India's name!
Saina Nehwal goes into mid-game break trailing Malaysia's Cheah 11-9.
Saina Nehwal pushes India's campaign for its first ever gold but faces a tough competition in Soniia Cheah. The game is level at 6-6 as the Malaysian sends smashes to keep the game level
Saina Nehwal takes the court next against Malaysia's Soniia Cheah in women's singles.
Malaysia does it! Wins the first match on the FINAL day in men's doubles, as Satwik-Chirag go down 21-15, 21-19. India still lead 2-1 in badminton mixed-team event
Trouble for India as Satwik-Chirag trail Malaysia by two points. Malaysia are just a point away from winning the match.
Malaysians make their way back into the game, leveling it at 17-17. If India lose this game, they lose the match. Can Satwik-Chirag hold their nerves?
Superb! India take 15-11 advantage, a four-point lead by Satwik-Chirag. The crowd is going wild!
India go into the mid-game interval with 11-7 advantage. Satwik-Chirag not leaving anything to chance in this game.
Look at the amazing support received by India in Gold Coast. India on its way to badminton team gold as the crowd constantly screams 'Go India'!
Second game begins and India approaches it confidently, taking 5-1 lead. India need to win this game to drag the match into decider.
India lose the first game today as Malaysia bag the first game of men's doubles 21-15
Malaysia are a point away from winning the first game as India trail the by six points. Can the Indian shuttlers do it? If not, this will be the first game India lose today.
What an intense match underway. After feeling the heat, the Malaysians took matter in their hands to snatch India's lead. However, India are nowhere near giving up as they try to level the game. India 12-13 Malaysia
India trailing 10-8 as Malaysians understand how to work their game through and snatch the game from Satwik-Chirag. A point away from mid-game break
Malaysian boys level the game at 7-7 after trailing 5-3 in the first game. This looks like another thrilling encouter.
Indian men shuttlers Satwik-Chirag on a good start as they take 3-1 lead in the first game of men's doubles.