PSPB men, women extend hold over team trophies

Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) annexed the men and women's team title at the 44th Inter-Institutional Table Tennis Championships being played at the Tyagraj Stadium here Tuesday.

Both the teams extended their reign over the two trophies without any threats - not even a perceived one - beating the Railways men and the Airports Authority of India women by an identical 3-0 margin.

For most teams, the team trophies have remained a dream and yet they religiously participate in the event. They need to put on the thinking caps and work their way out of a difficult situation to revive whatever little interests left in the championships.

The Soumyajit Ghosh-Sanil Shetty-Harmeet Desai blend did not need a second invitation to rout the Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) as it went about its task clinically, demolishing one opponent after another to complete the job. Ghosh, unleashing a combination attack on both flanks, took 18 minutes flat to outwit Anirban Nandi, the most experienced Railways' player, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9.

Shetty, the national champion, conceded his second, hard-fought game to Souvik Kar, but came to grips soon after with his blistering forehand to outwit Souvik. And Desai, consumed very little time at the table to run over Noel Pinto for the 11-8, 11-3, 11-9 verdict.

PSPB team's coach S. Ramaswamy was happy the way his team performed professionally. "I was a bit surprised that no opposition came from the Railways. But we were sure of retaining the trophy," he said.

On the other hand, RSPB coach Bona Thomas was more opt when he said that they had expected the team to reach final. "We know we will have a tough time against PSPB in the final. Our boys need to work more on fitness," he said.

PSPB women's team also played exactly the way a top-notch outfit would do. Barring the first game in which AAI's Nikhat Bhanu began briskly and taking it 11-3, it was PSPB's Madhurika Patkar all the way, stopping Bhanu on her tracks.

Ankita Das, too, lost a game to the promising Kritwikka Sinha Roy but the former proved to be way ahead with bagful of tricks-she played to her strength to win 11-8, 9-11, 12-10, 11-7. Former national champion Poulomi Ghatak, despite being rusty and losing her first extended game at 12-14, managed to put it across Amrutha Pushpak.

Results (team finals):

Men: Petroleum Sports Promotion Board bt Railway Sports Promotion Board 3-0 (Soumyajit Ghosh bt Anirban Nandi 11-6, 11-8, 119, Sanil Shetty bt Souvik Kar 11-4, 12-14, 11-8, 11-7, Harmeet Desai bt Noel Pinto 11-8, 11-3, 119).

Women: Petroleum Sports Promotion Board bt Airports Authority of India 3-0 (Madhurika Patkar bt Nikhat Bhanu 3-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-8, Ankita Das bt Kritwikka Sinha Roy 11-8, 9-11, 12-10, 11-7, Poulomi Ghatak bt Amrutha Pushpak 12-14, 11-3, 13-11, 11-8.