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India continued their impressive run in the Badminton Asia Team Championships, scoring a hard-earned 3-2 victory over former champions Malaysia, in Hyderabad, on Friday.
HS Prannoy clinched the deciding singles after India and Malaysia were locked 2-2 in the five-match quarter-final at the Gachibowli indoor stadium.
He beat Teck Zhi Soo 21-12, 22-20 in a tense match to take India, who had shocked China on Thursday, to Saturday’s semi-finals.
Prannoy, currently ranked 27, won the first game comfortably, but his lower-ranked Malaysian opponent came back strongly in the second which turned out to be a battle of wits.
Prannoy had the last laugh, though, narrowly winning the second game 22-20, which set off celebrations in the Indian camp.
Earlier, India captain Kidambi Srikanth, who remained unbeaten in the group matches, was in his element again in the first singles, hardly breaking a sweat in a 21-14, 21-15 victory over Malaysia's Zulfadli Zulkiffli, ranked 38.
India's doubles pair of Manu Attri and Sumeet Reddy beat Juan Shen Low-Kiang Meng Tan 10-21, 22-20, 21-16 in the first doubles.
There was disappointment for the hosts, however, as Ajay Jayaram (ranked 25) lost to Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, who is ranked 39.
Jayaram made several unforced errors before going down 21-17, 12-21, 16-21.
In the second doubles, the Indian combine of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Akshay Dewalkar went down fighting to Yew Sin Ong and Ee Yi Tieo 14-21, 21-14, 12-21.
The five-match tie comprised three singles and two doubles.