Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) reigned supreme yet again, sweeping the men’s and women’s team titles in the LIC Inter-Institutional Table Tennis Championships at the District Indoor Hall here on Saturday.
Defending champions in both the categories, PSPB men defeated Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) 3-1 while women crushed Airports Authority of India (AAI) 3-0 to complete two lop-sided triumphs.
Aman Balgu upset A Amalraj 6-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7 to give a good start for Railways. But it was all that they managed as PSPB won the next three matches to retain their crown.
Soumyajit Ghosh defeated Souvik Kar 11-5, 11-8, 11-4 to level things for PSPB before Harmeet Desai eased past Noel Pinto 8-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7 for a 2-1 lead.
Ghosh, the main man for PSPB, then defeated Aman Balgu 11-3, 8-11, 12-10, 11-9 in the fourth singles rubber for a 3-1 victory.
Soumyajit Ghosh, the crucial link in the PSPB line-up, disposed of Balgu in the fourth singles, much to the relief of the PSPB bench.
“Balgu played a great game, but I woudn’t have played any different. The third game was too close for my comfort. I managed to pull it off. Even in the fourth, I was leading. But I made a silly mistake in trying to put the ball back on the table and he made it 9-9,” said Ghosh after leading the team to victory.
Eves crush AAI
In the women’s section, PSPB had absolutely no problems in dealing with Airports Authority of India (AAI) thumping them 3-0.
Shamini Kumaresan started the demolition act dropping a game before beating AV Nivedita 11-9, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8.
Ankita Das played a similar match against Kritwika Sinha Roy winning 11-2, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9. Madhurika Roy showed great resilience as well registering a come-from-behind 2-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9 win over Nikhat Bhanu in the last match of the summit clash.
Results: Men: PSPB bt RSPB 3-1 (A Amalraj lt to Aman Balgu 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 7-11, 7-11; Soumyajit Ghosh bt Souvik Kar 11-5, 11-8, 11-4; Harmeet Desai bt Noel Pinto 8-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7; Soumyajit Ghosh bt Aman Balgu 11-3, 8-11, 12-10, 11-9).
Women: PSPB bt AAI 3-0 (K Shamini bt AV Nivedita 11-9, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8; Ankita Das bt Kritwika Sinha Roy 11-2, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9; Madhurika Patkar bt Nikhat Bhanu 2-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9).
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