CWG 2018: India create history, win gold in men's table tennis team event

Indias G Sathyan and Harmeet Desai exult after winning the crucial doubles against Nigeria that ensured a gold in the mens team category — India's G Sathyan and Harmeet Desai exult after winning the crucial doubles against Nigeria that ensured a gold in the men's team category

Gold Coast, April 9: India created history at the Commonwealth Games annexing the table tennis men's team gold on Monday (April 9) to go with the gold they had won in the women's team category on Sunday (April 8).

India beat Nigeria 3-0 to bag the gold and bring a rare laurel to the country in table tennis.

India began the competition with veteran A Sharath Kamal taking on Bode Abiodun and the Indian had rather inauspicious beginning losing the first game 4-11. But he made a roaring comeback to win the next three games - 11-5, 11-4 and 11-9 - to seal the match.

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G Sathyan too began the second tie on a faltering note against Segun losing it 10-12 after leading 10-6. But he made amends for the stumble in the next games winning them with ridiculous ease - 11-3, 11-3, 11-4 - to hand a 2-0 lead.

In the doubles, Sathyan combined with Harmeet Desai beat Abiodun and Olajide Omotayo 11-8, 11-5, 11-3 to ensure second gold medal from the table tennis table.

There were moments when Nigeria threatened to swing the momentum away from India but the Indian paddlers maintained their composure to wrap up the match.

After our women's Table Tennis team made us proud yesterday, it's time for the men!
Join us as we congratulate our men's Table Tennis team which has made our nation proud for clinching a 🥇.
Truly deserved! #IndiaAtCWG #CWG2018 #ProudIndia #SAI🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/BHhqRW6T7i
— SAIMedia (@Media_SAI) April 9, 2018

On Sunday, Manika Batra inspired India to a historic gold medal with her stunning singles victories, fashioning an unthinkable 3-1 victory over four-time gold medallists Singapore in the final of the women's team event

World No. 58 Batra first scored the biggest win of her career by humbling world number four and multiple Olympic medallist Feng Tianwei 3-2 before brushing aside 100th-ranked Yihan Zhou 3-0 to engineer a sensational win over the mighty Singapore side.

It was mother of all upsets as prior to this final, the Singapore women's team had never lost in the Commonwealth Games since the sport was inducted in the programme way back in 2002. The victory tasted even sweeter as the women had returned empty handed from the Glasgow edition four years ago.