UTT season 6: U Mumba qualify for semi-finals, end Dabang Delhi's unbeaten streak
Both teams wore black armbands and observed a minute's silence before kick-off to pay respect to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash tragedy.
Staged under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, UTT continues to grow as a premier professional league. All 23 ties, over 16 action-packed days, will take place at Ahmedabad's EKA Arena.
Lilian Bardet gave U Mumba TT the perfect start, defeating Sathiyan Gnanasekaran 2-1 in the opening singles rubber. After edging a close first game 11-10, Bardet dropped the second 4-11 but responded strongly with an 11-4 win in the decider. Bernadette Szocs followed it up with a 2-1 win over Diya Chitale. Chitale took the first game 11-3, but Szocs levelled with a narrow 11-10 Golden Point win and closed out the match 11-8.
The momentum carried into the mixed doubles, where Szocs partnered Akash Pal to beat Izaac Quek and Diya Chitale in the opening game, confirming U Mumba's place in the semifinals. Delhi, however, bounced back, winning the remaining two games and, subsequently, the match.
Abhinandh PB added two more points for U Mumba with a 2-1 win over Singapore's Izaac Quek. Abhinandh, in his first appearance of the season, started strong, taking the first two games, before Izaac pulled one back with an 11-7 win, enough to take Dabang Delhi to the top of the table. In the final rubber, Yashaswini Ghorpade defeated her World Youth Championships 2023 teammate Suhana Saini 3-0, winning two tight games on Golden Point before closing the match 11-3.
Szocs picked up the double honours of the Foreign Player and Shot of the Tie, while Yashaswini was named the Indian Player of the Tie.
Dabang Delhi will now face Jaipur Patriots in the first semi-final, while reigning champions Dempo Goa Challengers will take on U Mumba TT in the second. The winners of the respective ties will compete in the Grand Finale on June 15.
Final Scores
U Mumba TT 10-5 Dabang Delhi TTC
Lilian Bardet beat Sathiyan Gnanasekaran 2-1 (11-10, 4-11, 11-4)
Bernadette Szocs beat Diya Chitale 2-1 (3-11, 11-10, 11-8)
Akash Pal/Bernadette Szocs lost to Izaak Quek/Diya Chitale 1-2 (11-5, 7-11, 5-11)
Abhinandh PB beat Izaac Quek 2-1 (11-4, 11-9, 7-11)
Yashaswini Ghorpade beat Suhana Saini 3-0 (11-10, 11-10, 11-3). (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: 'There was a lot of pressure on him' - Shaun Marsh praises Shubman Gill's captaincy ahead of 4th Test
India captain Shubman Gill during a net session at Emirates Old Trafford (Photo by) Australia Champions batter Shaun Marsh has praised Indian skipper Shubman Gill for his leadership during the ongoing India vs England Test series, saying the young captain has handled the pressure well. Marsh also highlighted the rise of young Indian cricketers and their impact on the team after the retirements of senior players. 'Gill, who's taken over the captaincy. There was a lot of pressure on him coming into this series, and he's really stood up,' said Marsh. 'You know, India's got so many talented cricketers who come out of their country. And I think we're seeing that now with the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retiring, these young players are coming in and stepping up. And it just goes to show how much potential and talent is in India at the moment,' the Australia Champions batter told ANI. Marsh is currently representing the Australia Champions side in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025, which runs from July 18 to August 2 in the UK. The tournament features six iconic teams - India, Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, and West Indies—bringing together former international stars for a competitive T20 spectacle. Shubman Gill blames 'judgement error' as Rishabh Pant run-out haunts India in Lord's heartbreak Fellow Australia Champions player Ben Dunk reflected on the India vs Australia rivalry, calling it a strong and respectful one. 'It is a very good rivalry… Two Cricket nations, who adore Cricket, who love Cricket and have a longstanding. It will be great to come up against them and it will be great to beat them, hopefully,' said Dunk. He believes Australia have a strong chance of going all the way in the tournament. 'I am really confident, Australia has a pretty good record of putting their hands on trophies, and I see no reason why we can't follow on…' Poll How do you rate Shubman Gill's performance as captain so far in the ongoing series? Good Average Poor Marsh echoed the excitement, expressing hope that his side can go the distance this season. 'Very excited. Hopefully, we can go two steps further this year and lift the cup this season,' added Marsh. The Australia Champions squad includes names like Brett Lee, Chris Lynn, Ben Cutting, and others, adding firepower and experience to their WCL 2025 campaign. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
News18
8 hours ago
- News18
Ex-ENG Pacer On Kuldeep Conundrum: 'Can't Drop Jadeja Or Sundar... 3 Spinners?'
Steve Harmison thinks Kuldeep Yadav could be valuable for India in the fourth Test but struggles to see how he fits without dropping key players like Jadeja or Sundar. Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison acknowledged that wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav could be a valuable asset for India in the fourth Test in Manchester but struggled to find a way to include him in the 'balanced" side. With India trailing 1-2 in the five-match series against England and entering a must-win situation, the potential inclusion of Kuldeep in Manchester has been widely discussed over the past week. Kuldeep's absence in the last three Tests was a strategic decision to strengthen India's batting lineup. Harmison tried to determine the best combination for Kuldeep's inclusion in the final XI. The former England speedster doesn't expect the ball to bounce for the 30-year-old but is confident that there will be spin available for him. 'I think it would, it is not going to bounce for Kuldeep, but I think it will spin, no doubt it will, as the Test match goes on. We have had three Test matches go into the fifth day, I think India have had to have a serious consideration because at this moment their side is balanced," Harmison said on ESPNcricinfo Match Day. Kudleep Comes In For? The Indian team already includes Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar; several former cricketers believe Kuldeep's inclusion would add a new dimension to India's attack. Harmison thinks it's unlikely that India will drop Jadeja or Sundar for Kuldeep, which would result in a three-spinner attack, as suggested by former England cricketer Michael Atherton. If India doesn't opt for the three-spinner scenario, Harmison suggests Kuldeep might earn a spot at the expense of either Sundar or a batter. 'You can't drop Jadeja, you can't drop Sundar. Can you play three spinners? That will be a big ask. As much as I think it will be right to play Kuldeep, I am not sure how you get him in. If you drop a batter like they did in the first Test match and everyone move up one. It will be a big call is it Washington Sundar who misses out. I wouldn't like to make that call," he concluded. (With inputs from ANI) view comments First Published: July 21, 2025, 15:29 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Mint
a day ago
- Mint
Mitchell Marsh intends to play as batter only in all formats following recent back injury
New Delhi [India], July 20 (ANI): Australia skipper Mitchell Marsh confirmed that he won't be bowling for the foreseeable future, and intends to play as a batter only in all formats following a recent run of back problems, as per The Sydney Morning Herald. Marsh missed the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year due to injury. Marsh was suffering from a back problem and was sidelined for Australia's Champions Trophy campaign. Marsh will be seen in action when Australia takes on the West Indies on July 20 at Sabina Park. Australia have confirmed their starting XI for the opening game in Jamaica, the first of the five-match T20I series against the West Indies. Jake-Fraser McGurk, who was recalled to the side as a replacement for Spencer Johnson, will be playing the first match. While Owen has been handed over the debut, a minor side strain during training meant that Short will not participate in the series and has been sent back home. Jake-Fraser McGurk, who was recalled to the side as a replacement for Spencer Johnson, will be playing the first match. With the visitors resting a lot of senior members, including Travis Head, Alex Carey and pace trio Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, the series provides an opportunity to fine-tune the squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup next year in India and Sri Lanka. "First and foremost, it's always 'we're representing Australia, we're here to win the series' and culturally, that's how we want to go about it," Australia's T20I captain Mitch Marsh said while talking to "There will be guys that get opportunities. We've obviously got a few guys missing for this series (for) a well-earned rest,' he added. "But we want guys to be flexible, fluid, and come together as a team and be really connected. We don't want anyone to come in here and feel like they have to prove themselves. We've really got a strong squad," he added. Australia will take on the West Indies in the first T20I on 20 July, the sides play two matches at Kingston, Jamaica, followed by the final three games at Basseterre, St Kitts. Australia XI for the first T20I: Mitch Marsh (c), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Josh Inglis (wk), Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa. (ANI)
