India made history at the Commonwealth Games on Gold Coast on Monday, defeating defending champions Malaysia to win its first ever Commonwealth Games badminton mixed team gold.
The mixed doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa produced the decisive turnaround. They came back from an 8-12 deficit in the decider, scoring seven points in a row to take a 15-12 lead against Malaysia’s Rio Olympic silver medallists Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying. The Indian pair went on to win 21-14, 15-21, 21-15.
World No. 2 Kidambi Srikanth then doubled India’s lead to 2-0. He outlasted three-time Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei in a closely contested clash, winning 21-17, 21-14. It was his first win over the Malaysian icon in five career meetings.
“Perhaps Lee was not at his best but then you can never be too sure against a player like him. You always have to be on your guard, which I was. And I also gave my best. I was not expecting it to be this easy,” said Srikanth.
Malaysia kept its hopes alive in the men’s doubles, where Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong beat Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty 21-15, 22-20 to reduce Malaysia’s deficit to 1-2.
India still needed one more win, and Saina Nehwal, the 2010 Commonwealth Games women’s singles gold medallist, delivered it. She won the first set 21-11 against Soniia Cheah, but Cheah fought back in the second set from 3-7 down. Cheah called for a medical break to tape up her bruised fingers, then clinched four straight points to lead 15-13 and took the set 21-19.
Nehwal Seals Gold in the Decider
World No. 29 Cheah appeared to find a new gear in the third set. She returned everything Nehwal sent over and used her strategy of pushing shuttlecocks to the lines at every opportunity, which gave her a 9-8 lead. However, Cheah’s speed and stamina began to fade. Nehwal seized the moment, reeling off 13 consecutive points to win the third set 21-9 and secure the mixed team gold for India.
“It was exhausting, I actually lost focus during the match but thankfully managed to hold it together and ensure that the gold medal winning shot was mine. It is a medal that I will forever cherish, it is very special. Team gold is always way more cherishable,” said Nehwal.
“I don’t think anybody in the team is going to sleep tonight. Maybe I will just relax tomorrow and then think about the singles,” added Nehwal.