Teenage badminton sensation Anmol Kharb was left in tears after suffering an ankle injury during India’s final group A fixture against China in the Uber Cup. The under-strength Indian women’s team, missing star player P V Sindhu, faced a tough challenge against the 15-time champions.
Despite already securing a spot in the quarterfinals with wins against Canada and Singapore, India struggled against the powerhouse Chinese team. The young Indian team failed to win a single game in the five-match tie, ultimately losing 0-5.
The match started with Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei dominating the court and securing a comfortable victory over Isharani Baruah. The Chinese duo of Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan continued China’s winning streak by defeating Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra.
The turning point came during the second singles contest when Anmol Kharb twisted her ankle while trying to defend a point. Despite receiving medical attention, the pain was too severe, forcing her to retire from the match and giving China an unassailable 3-0 lead.
The remaining matches saw Liu Shen Shu and Tan Ning defeating Simran Singh and Ritika Thaker, and Tanvi Sharma falling to Wang Zhi Yi, as China completed a comprehensive 5-0 victory over India.
Despite the loss, India secured a second-place finish in the group stage behind China. The young team will look to regroup and come back stronger in the knockout stages of the Uber Cup.