National Games: Assam wins gold in women’s team badminton event

Assam took the first gold medal at the 37th National Games as their badminton women's team defeated Maharashtra to clinch the team title on October 21.  

Assam women's team consisting of Ashmita Chaliha, Isharani Baruah, Mayuri Barman, Manali Bora, and Maini Boruah remained unbeaten in the group stage. 

They beat West Bengal 4-1 and Andhra Pradesh 3-2 to book their spot in the final. 

Assam faced a strong team of Maharashtra in the final who also topped their group with two dominating 5-0 wins over Punjab and Goa women's teams. 

The women's team final started with Assam's Ashmita Chaliha taking an easy straight-game 21-16, 21-11 win over Maharashtra's Purva Barve. 

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In the other women's singles, Isharani Baruah won against Aalisha Naik in a nail-biting three-setter 9-21, 21-13, 21-18. 

The two singles players combined to pull off an upset to register a straight-game 21-19, 21-13 win over India number four pair Simran Singhi and Ritika Thaker to give Assam a gold medal in the event with a 3-0 victory. 

On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab women's teams won the bronze medals in the women's team event. 

On the otherhand, the Karnataka men's team took the honours in the men's team event consisting of S.Bhargav, Sai Pratheek, Nithin H.V, Ayush Shetty, and Pruthvi Roy reached the final after topping Group B with two 4-1 victories over teams like Uttrakhand and Delhi. 

Maharashtra men's team also made it to the final like their women's team with a 3-2 win over Assam and a 4-1 victory over Goa Men's team.