Having got a quarterfinal bye in Stage 2, the Indian team needs to win just in the semifinals to ensure itself a place in the Champion Division, where it will get to rub shoulders with the top continental teams.
Besides India, Philippines is another team to be given a quarterfinal bye in stage 2.
India will play the winner of quarterfinals between hosts Thailand and Vietnam, while the Philippines will take on the winner between Iran and North Korea.
The rest of the teams will play to decide positions.
With just one team from each of the six groups advancing to the knockout phase, it was imperative for the Indian paddlers to top the group. And they did exactly that, beating first Pakistan 3-0, followed by a similar win over Nepal and, finally, Qatar to log six points on the table.
The Indian team comprised Mouma Das, Ankita Das, K Shamini, Pooja Sahasrabudhe and Manika Batra.
In the first group match against Pakistan, in-form Manika Das beat Shabnam Bilal 11-5 11-6 11-3, while Mouma Das accounted for Raila Kashif 11-3 11-1 12-10 before Ankita Das defeated Aisha Ansari 11-5 11-4 11-7 -- all wins coming in just an hour.
Mouma opened against Swechchha Nembang with a 11-5 11-5 11-1 win, then Shamini beat Rabina Maharjan 11-2 11-2 11-6 and Pooja downed Selisha Khadgi 11-5 11-6 11-3. This victory came in a much quicker time.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
