Commonwealth Games squash doubles: Chinappa, Pallikal seeded third

Bengaluru, March 22: Defending champions Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal Karthik have been seeded third for next month's Commonwealth Games women's doubles squash in Australia.

According to the seedings announced by the World Squash Federation (WSF), the top Indian duo are drawn in Pool C which features Tesney Evans/Deon Saffrey (Wales), Faiza Zafar/Madina Zafar (Pakistan) and Dianne Kellas/ Colette Sultana (Malta).

New Zealand pair of Joelle King and Paul Coll have been given the top billing while England's Jenny Duncalf and Alison Waters are seeded second.

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The doubles events will take place at Oxenford Studios in Gold Coast, Queensland, from April 10-15 immediately after the singles championships which will be held from April 5 to 9.

The Indian pair have their task cut out as King, the reigning WSF world doubles champion is in red hot form.

The 29-year-old world No.7 teams up with Landers-Murphy and the duo would be eyeing a repeat of the WSF World Championship triumph which they achieved in Manchester, England, last August.

King was also the star of Team New Zealand in the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi, when she won gold in the doubles and mixed doubles.

Waters is expected to be another threat for Chinappa and Pallikal. The 34-year-old Londoner, links up with former world No.2 Duncalf.

Waters was a silver medallist in mixed doubles in the 2014 Games in Glasgow, while 35-year-old Duncalf - who like Waters is making her fourth appearance in the Games since 2006 - will arrive in Gold Coast looking to better successive silver medals in the doubles in 2010 and 2014.

In the men's doubles the hosts Australia are the firm favourites.

Ryan Cuskelly and Cameron Pilley are the reigning WSF world champions and are expected to repeat this success in Gold Coast. The same pair won bronze in the 2010 Games, but world No.20 Pilley will be seeking a third successive doubles gold after claiming mixed doubles gold (with Kasey Brown) in 2010 in Delhi and partnering David Palmer to doubles gold in 2014 in Glasgow.

Despite retiring from the PSA World Tour seven years ago, Palmer will be back in Games action for the sixth time since 1998.

The 41-year-old legend, winner of a record eight medals and the only double gold medallist in 2014, will be bidding for 2018 success with Zac Alexander in the the men's doubles, where they are seeded fifth.

(With WSF inputs)