Badminton Asia Championships: Satwiksairaj, Chirag become first Indian men’s doubles pair to reach final

The star Indian men’s doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty on Saturday made history as they became the first-ever Indian men’s doubles pair to reach the final of the Badminton Asia Championships.

They faced Tokyo Olympics champions Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin from Chinese Taipei in the semifinal match. The Indians won a competitive first game by 21-18. But they won the match after their opponents retired midway through the match due to an injury to Wang Chi-lin. The Indians took the match after a walkover.

“1st men’s doubles pair to enter the finals at Badminton Asia Championships Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty for you ladies and gentlemen: @badmintonphoto @himantabiswa| @sanjay091968| @lakhaniarun1 #BAC2023 #IndiaontheRise #Badminton,” tweeted the Badminton Association of India (BAI) Media.

Satwik-Chirag also became the first Indians to reach the Badminton Asia Championships final since 1965.

The Badminton Asia Championships started in Dubai from April 25 and will go on till April 30.

Earlier, the duo assured a medal after 52 years in the men’s doubles category after they got the better of Indonesia’s experienced duo Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan in straight games 21-11, 21-12 in the quarterfinals of ongoing Badminton Asia Championships 2023 in Dubai on Friday.

With this India is now assured of a podium finish which will see them return with at least a silver medal. Dipu Ghosh and Raman Ghosh were the last pair to win a medal in men’s doubles at the Badminton Asia Championships in 1971.

Prakash Padukone and Syed Modi won silver in 1978 but the tournament was an invitational event. The legendary’s duo’s achievement was academic and did not end the drought.

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