Rio-bound Ghosh guides PSPB to title

Bolstered by the presence of Rio Olympics-bound Soumyajit Ghosh, the men's team of Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) blanked out Airports Authority of India (AAI) 3-0 in final of the AAI 46th All India Inter-Institutional Championships at the SMS Indoor Stadium here today.
With this triumph, the PSPB paddlers had ensured that the trophy stayed with them for the 15th occasion. But even before that the PSPB's women had that paved the way with a similar verdict in their final against the same opponent to complete 13 title-wins so far.
Even before the men's final began, it was a foregone conclusion that PSPB was destined to win the title and playing the first rubber, G. Sathiyan dictated terms against Sushmit Sriram and finished provided the 1-0 lead in flat 25 minutes.

The attacking Sanil Shetty continued from where his teammate left off and surged ahead despite AAI's Sarthak Gandhi opening with a 1-0 lead. The southpaw Shetty, brushing aside the slender lead, soon took control of the proceedings to shut his opponent out.
Soumyajit Ghosh, playing the third singles, began somewhat cautiously against the promising Anirban Ghosh only to take the first game with a lot to spare. By the time he had warmed up more than sufficiently and it was showing in his second game. In the third Anirban fought well to keep in close range of Ghosh on points but nothing beyond under the circumstances. The flowing strokes form Ghosh said the frame of mind the PSPB paddlers were in.

The focus will now shift to the singles, the qualification group matches of which began this morning. Ghosh, who arrived to join his team members, was indeed the attraction today and from tomorrow the iconic Sharath Kamal, who is only playing the singles here, could be the cynosure of all eyes.

The results: Team championship:
Men Final: Petroleum beat Airports Authority of India 3-0 (G. Sathiyan bt Sushmit Srriram 11-1, 11-8, 11-8, Sanil Shetty beat Sarthak Gandhi 5-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-6, Soumyajit Ghosh beat Anirban Ghosh 11-6, 11-9, 11-9).
Women: Final: Petroleum beat Airports Authority of India 3-0 (K.Shamini bt Archana Kamath 11-7, 6-11, 11-5, 12-10, Mouma Das beat Ayhika Mukherjee 11-9, 11-7, 11-9, Manika Batra beat Frenaz Chipia 4-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-6).