Chennai
World number 25 Manika Batra will lead PBG Bengaluru Smashers against defending champions Athlead Goa Challengers in the first semi-final of the Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium on Thursday.
As the tournament reaches its final stages, the competition is intense, with all teams eager to secure their place in the final. PBG Bengaluru Smashers topped the league standings with 48 points, while Athlead Goa Challengers finished in fourth place.
PBG Bengaluru Smashers will aim to maintain their strong form, having won four out of five matches in the league stage. No other semi-finalist has won more than three matches, but Athlead Goa Challengers, the reigning champions, remain a formidable opponent due to their experience and determination to reach another final.
The Smashers will rely on the skills of Manika Batra, American star Lily Zhang, Spain’s Alvaro Robles, and the energy of young talents like Jeet Chandra and Taneesha Kotecha. Meanwhile, the Goa Challengers boast two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Harmeet Desai, Italian Mihai Bobocica, Australia’s Yangzi Liu, and the in-form Yashaswini Ghorpade, who could be a key player in her potential clash with Lily Zhang.
BOX
Squads for the First Semi-final:
– PBG Bengaluru Smashers: Manika Batra, Alvaro Robles (Spain), Lily Zhang (USA), Jeet Chandra, Taneesha Kotecha, Amalraj Anthony.
– Athlead Goa Challengers: Harmeet Desai, Yangzi Liu (Australia), Yashaswini Ghorpade, Sudhanshu Grover, Sayali Wani, Mihai Bobocica (Italy).
