Hangzhou: The Indian squash pair of Dipika Pallikal and Harinder Singh has advanced to the finals of the mixed doubles competition at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou.
In a thrilling semifinal match, they emerged victorious over the Hong Kong duo of Lee Ka Yi and Wong Chi Him with a score of 2-1.
India faced a challenging start as they lost the first set with a score of 7-11.
However, Dipika and Harinder displayed remarkable resilience and character in the second game, clinching it convincingly with a score of 11-7. The third set saw a neck-to-neck competition between India and Hong Kong, but the Indian duo emerged victorious with a score of 11-9 to secure their place in the final.
With this win, Dipika Pallikal and Harinder Singh are guaranteed at least a silver medal in the mixed doubles squash event at the Asian Games.
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) Media celebrated their victory on Twitter, saying, "INTO THE FINALS! @DipikaPallikal and Harinder Pal Singh clinch victory in the squash mixed doubles! They defeated Lee/Wong from HKG with a thrilling 2-1 score in the Semifinals! With this win, they've booked their spot in the Finals, securing at least a SILVER MEDAL! #Cheer4India #JeetegaBharat #BharatAtAG22 #Hallabol."
India's strong performance in squash at the Asian Games continues, with Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh set to compete against Malaysia in the semifinals, already securing a medal. Sourav Ghosal will compete in the men's singles semifinals against Hong Kong's Leung Chi Hin Henry, ensuring another medal for India.
In the mixed doubles quarterfinals, Dipika Pallikal and Harinder Singh had previously secured a victory against the Philippines' Jemyca Aribado and Robert Andrew Garcia, guaranteeing a medal for India.
Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh also triumphed over Hong Kong's Tsz Wing Tong and Ming Hong Tang, winning in straight sets (11-10, 11-8) to advance to the semifinals. Saurav Ghosal secured his spot in the semis by defeating Japan's Ryunosuke Tsukue in the quarterfinals with a score of 3-0.