Chennai Smashers edge out Mumbai Rockets to lift title

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Chennai Smashers edge out Mumbai Rockets to lift title
Chennai Smashers lifted the PBL 2017 title on Saturday after a 4-3 win over Mumbai Rockets in the final in Delhi.

Published: Sun 15 Jan 2017, 9:17 PM

Last updated: Sun 15 Jan 2017, 11:22 PM

Chennai Smashers clinched the Premier Badminton League 2017 title after overcoming Mumbai Rockets 4-3 in the final in Delhi on Saturday.
PV Sindhu defeated the in-form Sung Ji-Hyun 11-8, 11-8, as the Smashers started off by winning their trump match to put Chennai on course for a win in the final.
Chennai gained a 2-0 lead after Chris Adcock and Gabrielle Adcock defeated the Nipitphon Phuangphuapet-Nadiezda Zieba duo of Mumbai Rockets 11-9, 11-6. Sindhu's victory then gave Chennai a 3-0 lead, but Lee Yong Dae and Nipithphon Phuangphuapet won the men's doubles match, Mumbai's trump match, to reduce Chennai's lead to 3-2.
Then HS Prannoy defeated Parupalli Kashyap 11-4, 8-11, 11-8 in a thrilling encounter to level the match at 3-3. With the final moving into a fifth and deciding match, Mumbai Rockets' Ajay Jayaram and Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Chennai Smashers battled it out for every single point. And it was the Chennai team which won by a scoreline of 9-11, 11-7, 11-3 and with it the PBL 2017 title.
Winners Chennai received Rs. 3 crore, while runners-up Mumbai Rockets were awarded Rs. 1.5 crore. The title-triumph was a worthy reward for Sindhu who tamed World No. 3 Sung Ji Hyun 11-8, 11-8 for the second time for a 6-1 individual record in the competition with her only loss came against World and Olympic champion Carolina Marin. 
Meanwhile, on a comeback trail after his long injury lay off, Indian shutter Parupalli Kashyap has been again ruled out of action for three months after suffering a shoulder injury during the Premier Badminton League final here.
With Chennai Smashers leading 3-2 after the first three matches, Kashyap took the court against Mumbai's Prannoy in the first men's singles. During a rally, he dived at the forecourt to retrieve the shuttle and ended up hurting his shoulder. - Agencies
"I have to go the hospital and get an MRI done and then I will know what next. This injury might heal in 5-6 days or might take 2-3 weeks also. So I don't think I will be able to play in Malaysia (Grand Prix Gold from Jan 16) since I have to leave tomorrow but hopefully I will play Syed Modi," Kashyap had said before the scale of his injury was known.
Kashyap has been going through a tough phase since last year after he injured his knee and it derailed his Olympic dream. On his comeback, he reached the semifinals at Korea Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament.
Asked about the 11-point scoring format that was used in the second season of Premier Badminton League, Kashyap said an attacking player has an advantage in this format.
"It is a different format. It is new for everyone. The focus is more on speed and power. There is no time to settle down in 11-point system. And it's totally different for singles and totally different for doubles," he said.
"I think in singles the guy who is more powerful and faster has an advantage. Someone trying to prolong the rallies and win depending on his stamina is out. You have to be really good with your attack. If you are defending then you are not so good.

By Agencies

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