Asiad TT: Sharath, Manika eye mixed doubles final berth

India's Manika Batra and Achantha Sharath Kamal have set their sights on the finals of the Table Tennis Mixed Doubles event after thrashing the North Korean team in the quarter-finals of the 2018 Asian Games earlier today.

The Indian duo swept aside Ji Song An and Hyo Sim Cha of North Korea 3-2 in their last-eight clash of the mixed doubles event to book their place in the semi-finals of the prestigious quadrennial event.

After losing the first game 4-11 to their Korean counterparts, the Indian pair made a smashing comeback to level the match 1-1 with a 12-10 victory in the second game.

In the third game, the India duo missed the chance to take a lead in the match as they slumped to a 6-11 defeat at the hands of their opponents.

In the must-win fourth game, Sharath and Batra displayed exceptional coordination and kept them alive in the match with a thumping 11-6 victory.

The deciding game tested the skills of both the side, but it was the Indian pair who kept their nerves intact till the end and entered the semi-final round with an 11-8 win over the North Korean duo.

Sharath and Batra, who have already assured a bronze for the country, will now take on Chuqin Wang and Yingsha Sun for a place in the summit showdown.

In boxing, India's Vikas Krishan defeated China's Tanglatihan Touheta Erbieke to enter men's middle 75kg semi-finals.

India's total medal tally at the ongoing prestigious tournament stands at 50---nine gold, 19 silver and 22 bronze.