The Indian shuttlers battled hard to stage a comeback and dash Malaysia’s hope of ending an agonising three-decade title drought since they last won in Kuala Lumpur in 1992.
India grabbed their winning point through third singles player Prannoy HS, who overran Leong Jun Hao 21-13, 21-8 to send the young Malaysian team packing.
They will take on Denmark, who beat South Korea 3-2, in tomorrow’s semi-finals. The other semi-final match will pit Indonesia, who beat China 3-0, against Japan, who defeated Taiwan 3-2.
World No. 6 Lee Zii Jia had given Malaysia their first point when he beat Indian singles ace Lakshya Sen, ranked three notches below him, 23-21, 21-9.
India managed to pull level at 1-1 in the first doubles when Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty produced a splendid performance to end Malaysian pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani’s impressive run here.
The Indians, ranked world No. 8, needed just 41 minutes to get past the world No. 13 Malaysian pair 21-19, 21-15 for their sixth win over the Malaysians in seven meetings.
Former world No. 1 Srikanth Kidambi put India ahead when he beat Malaysia’s rising star Ng Tze Yong 21-11, 21-17 in the second singles, but Malaysia levelled the match at 2-2 when team captain Aaron Chia and Teo Ee Yi outlasted Krishna Prasad Garaga and Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala 21-19, 21-17 in the second doubles.
In the decider, Jun Hao could do little to ward off Prannoy, whose winning point sent his teammates jumping for joy.
“I just don’t know what to say. I failed to contribute to Malaysia,” a teary-eyed Jun Hao told reporters after the match.
Youth and sports minister Ahmad Faizal Azumu said the Malaysian team had given their best but luck was not on their side.
“Our players can do better. I saw them play in the previous matches, they did very well. All our shuttlers tried their very best. That was all we could hope for. However, luck was not with us,” he told Bernama.
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