Badminton | Thailand edge out India in Asia Mixed Team Championships
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India suffered a close 3-2 defeat at the hands of Thailand at the badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships in Ho Chi Minh City. HS Prannoy and the team of Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy gave India the lead, but Thailand won the remaining games to inflict another defeat on the Indian contingent.
The clash began with the mixed doubles where Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold champions, Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy took the court for India. Although the Indian duo won the first game 25-23, the Thai team of Savitree Amitrapai and Dechapol Puavaranukroh won the remaining two 10-21 to give Thailand the lead.
Prannoy took on Suppanyu Avihingsanon and the Indian made easy work of his opponent 21-18, 21-15 win just in 39 minutes to level the contest at 1-all.
India took the lead through Attri-Reddy, who took just 34 minutes to see off Kittinupong Kedren and Nipitphon Phuangphuapet in men's doubles, winning 21-19, 21-16.
The 2017 national champion Rituparna Das was handed the responsibility to see India through while the  Thais chose Pornpawee Chochuwong, who reached the final of the Malaysia Masters last month, to keep them alive. Das went up 21-11, but lost the following games 12-21 and 15-21.
The deciding match was women's doubles between Ashwini Ponnappa-Sikki Reddy and the world No 10 pair of Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai. The Indians won the opening game 21-15, but the Thai team struck back by winning the remaining games 17-21 and 7-21.
