NEWS
OTHER SPORTS
DIARY
PEOPLE
MATCH REPORTS
SLIDE SHOW
ARCHIVES

India in tough group for Thomas Cup

Hosts India have a good chance of qualifying for the finals of the Thomas Cup badminton championship after a gap of 12 years, says Prakash Padukone, excecutive president of the Badminton Association of India.

Speaking to media persons in Delhi last night, Padukone said the International Badminton Federation (IBF) has allotted the Asian venue for the 18th edition of the Thomas Cup for men and Uber Cup for women to India, and New Delhi will host this event from February 13 to 20.

The former All-England champion announced that this is the third time that Delhi will host the prestigious tournament.

Padukone said 17 teams will figure in the Asian venue Thomas Cup and 12 in the Uber Cup. Eight teams - three teams from Asia and equal number from the Euorpean zone along with the hosts and holders - figure in the finals of the competition.

The top three teams from the Delhi tournaments will qualify for the finals to be held in Kuala Lumpur in May next year. They will be joined there by three teams from the European venue in Sofia, Bulgaria.

As hosts Malaysia have already qualified, while Indonesia and China, holders of the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup respectively, are the other qualifiers.

Padukone admitted that India has a tough task ahead in the Thomas Cup. "But we have a chance to create an upset," he said.

India is placed in a very tough group along with Korea and Japan.

Explaining the format, Padukone said each team is entitled to name nine players for three singles and two doubles. He said a player can figure in a maximum of two matches - a singles and doubles.

Padukone said China is the strongest team and it will not be easy to beat them. "I think they will have no problem in winning the Asian venue Thomas Cup.''

He was of the view that Korea will be the other strong team in competition. "They (Koreans) have very strong doubles pairings but they are not very strong in the singles. Our singles are better; though we are weak in the doubles, I still think we have an outside chance of creating an upset."

Padukone said: "Against Japan, India has a fifty-fifty chance. If we qualify it will be a great achievement because it will be after 12 years."

The groupings:

Thomas Cup:
February 13 to 15

Group A: Thailand, Iran, Nepal, Myanmar.
Group B:Australia, Pakistan, Zambia, Singapore
Group C: Hongkong, Mmauritius, Jamaica, Sri Lanka.

February 16 to 18
Group X: China, Chinese Taipei, winner Group C and A
Group Y: Korea, Japan, India, winner Group B.

Semi-finals: February 19
Winner Group X vs Runner-up Group Y
Winner Group Y vs Runner-up Group X
Final and third place: February 20

The winners, runner-up and third placer qualify for the Kuala Lumpur World final round.

Uber Cup

February 13 to 15

Group A: India, Zambia, Sri Lanka
Group B: Australia, Singapore, Pakistan.

February 16 to 18
Group X: Indonesia, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, winner Group B
Group Y: Japan, Korea, Thailand, Winner Group A.

Semi-final: February 19
Winner Group X vs Runner-up Group Y
Winner Group Y vs runner-up Group X

Final and third place match: February 20

The first three qualify for Kuala Lumpur.

UNI