India trounce Bangladesh to top group

Defending champions India thrashed Bangladesh 3-0 to emerge group leaders and advance to the second stage of the team event of the 17th Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships in Jaipur on Thursday.

The Indian eves followed suit by defeating England 3-0 and later cruising to facile 3-0 victory over Maldives in last Group 'D' encounter to sail into the second round.

The Indian men, who are assured of a place in the last eight, decided to rest Soumyadeep Roy and Subhajit Saha and brought in Anirban Nandi and Pathik Mehta in their place.

Along with national champion Achanta Sharath Kamal, they both proved more than handful for a hapless Bangladesh.

Sharath Kamal set the tempo by beating Mohammad Hanif 11-9, 11-7, 11-8 and then Anirban Nandi lost a game before surging to 11-1, 6-11, 11-1, 11-5 win over Al Mahbub Khondoker Billah.

Mehta carved out a 11-5, 13-11, 11-2 win against Manash Chowdhary in the third set.

In the women's section, Mouma Das got the better of Helen Lower 11-5, 11-4, 12-10 while national champion Poulomi Ghatak pulled off a 11-4, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6 win over Kelly Sibley.

Kumaresan Shamini notched up the issue with a 11-7, 11-6, 11-9 win over Natalie Bawden.

Indian eves, however, faces a tough second round of the competition as the spin of coin placed them in Group 'B' with Group 'A' top seed and favourites Singapore.

In the second stage league of men's section, Singapore and India head Group 'E' and 'F' respectively, which have four teams each.