Clean sweep for India in SAARC carrom tourney

NEW DELHI, Aug 4: India made a clean sweep, retaining all three titles for the third consecutive year, in the third South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Carrom Championship, conducted at Male on August 2.

India, which had world champion, A Mariya Irudhayam in its four-member team, faced no resistance in the team event up to the finals, where they defeated Sri Lanka 3-0 to claim the Premadasa Cup, a release from the International Carrom Federation said.

Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bangladesh secured the second, third, and fourth positions, respectively. In the men’s singles final, Irudhayam defeated teammate M Nataraj in a well-contested three-setter 25-11, 22-25, 25-17.

Story continues below this ad

In the men’s doubles event, Irudhayam partnering Nataraj defeated teammates K Radhakrishnan-B Radhakrishnan 25-4, 25-4.

The Indian team comprised Irudhayam, K Radhakrishnan, M Nataraj, B Radhakrishnan.