Indian shuttlers scuttle Scotland, in semis

It will be India’s first badminton medal in the Commonwealth Games since 1982, when the late Syed Modi grabbed gold in men’s singles individual event. Prakash Padukone, now the manager of the team, won gold in 1978.

Pullela Gopi Chand, who is currently ranked 71, made short work of world No 31 Bruce Flockhart, who has been seeded fifth in the individual event, 15-6, 15-1.

Nikhil Kanetkar, 90th in the world, then defeated James Mailer 15-6, 15-9 andAbhinn Shyam Gupta thrashed David Gilmour 15-3, 15-4. Jaseel Imsail and Vincent Lobo defeated Kenneth Middlemiss and Russell Hogg 15-10, 15-11 and then George Thomas and Markose Bristow dropped the only game of the tie, as they beat Craig Robertson and Alastair Gatt 15-6, 11-15, 15-13.

In the morning, India defeated Maldives 5-0 without dropping a game. The only match in which Maldives put up some resistance was in the first doubles after India had already wrapped up the tie.

Gopi beat Riyaz Ahmed 15-0, 15-3, while Kanetkar disposed off Sharath Mohammed 15-2, 15-2. Gupta defeated Rasheed Mamdhoon 15-0, 15-3. In the first doubles, Ismail and Lobo beat Abdulla Shakeeb and Riyaz Hassan 15-7, 15-9, while Thomas and Bristow defeated Sharath Mohammed and Rasheed Mamdhoon 15-3, 15-0.

Other morning results:Group B: Scotland bt Botswana 5-0, India bt Maldives 5-0; Group C: England b Trinidad & Tobago 5-0; Australia beat Fiji 5-0; Group D: New Zealand beat Ghana 5-0.

WOMEN JOIN MEN

The Indian womenshowed superior staying power in their last preliminary league match in badminton, as they beat Scotland 4-1 to make the last four stage, which ensures them a bronze medal. Results (Pool X): Aparna Popat bt Anne Gibson 13-11, 11-9; Neelima Choudary bt Martin Gillian 7-11, 11-8, 11-9; Manjusha Kanwar bt Elanor Middlemiss 11-6, 11-1; Madhumita Bisht/Lakshmi PVV bt Kirsteen Mcewan/Alexis Blanchflower 15-1, 15-6; Majusha Kanwar/Archana Deohar lost to Sandra Watt/Elinor Middlemiss 10-15, 4-15.Other major results: Pool W: Malaysia b New Zealnd 3-2; Pool Y: Australia b Canada 3-2; Pool Z: England b South Africa 5-0.