Sri Lanka’s badminton players gained some much needed exposure at the Asian Badminton Mixed Team Championships concluded recently in Hong Kong according to coach Tony Wahyudi.
The tournament conducted by Badminton Asia together with the Hong Kong Badminton Association had eleven teams from Asia contesting.
“It is always good to meet and play against top leve lplayers,” said Wahyudi. “We know Sri Lankan players always want to play good badminton against top level players. Our aim was not to win this tournament but to gain good exposure and the players got it during their matches.”
Sri Lankan players were pitted against exponents from Indonesia and Thailand and the tournament was won by China defeating Japan in the final.
Sri Lankan top seed mixed doubles pair of Sachin Dias and Thilini Hendahewa went down to an Indonesian pair 24-22, 21-15.
Dinuka Karunaratne lost to Ishan Mustofa 9/21, 14/21 in the Singles game. However the Sri Lankan men’s top seed doubles pair of Buwaneka Gunatilleka and Sachin Dias lost the first set 8-21 to Saba Gutama and Vijaya Putra and the second set 17-21. Meanwhile schoolgirl Dilmi Dias from Our Lady Victories Convent, Moratuwa had a good experience playing against an Indonesian while the women’s pair of Kavidi Sirimannage and Thilini Hendahewa won the first set over Della Haris and Rizki Pradipta 21/15 but the Indonesian pair dominated the game by winning the second and third sets 21/6, 21/11. Meanwhile the Thailand mixed doubles pair of Nipithpone and Savitri Amithapai had spirited opposition from Sachin Dias and Thilini Hendahewa.
The Sri Lankan pair after losing the first set 10-21 won the second set 21-18. They lost the third set 10-21.
Dinuka Karunaratne the national champion lost to a Thai player 21-16, 21-16 while young Dilmi Dias lost her game against Nichon Jindapol 21/6, 21/6. Sachin and Buwaneka once again showed their prowess at the men’s doubles losing the first set and taking the second set against Thailand whose pair won the third set.
The women’s double pair of Thilini and Kavidi lost 21-4, 21-11.
Sri Lanka will have another assignment in China in May contesting the Sudirman Cup