JOIN USP V Sindhu's Chennai Smashers beat Bengaluru Blasters 3-2 in a Premier Badminton League (PBL) match here on Monday to keep alive their slim hopes of advancing to the knockout stage.
Sindhu had set the tone for the home team, brushing aside the challenge of Kirsty Gilmour 15-9, 15-14 after the doubles team of Lee Yang and B Sumeeth Reddy had snatched a win in the Blasters' trump match.
With Sindhu's victory coming in the trump match, the Smashers took a huge lead in the tie after two completed encounters. World No 1 Viktor Axelsen fought back for the Blasters and held off Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk 15-11, 6-15, 15-9 to earn the team's first point of the night. Two more victories for Blasters helped reduce the margin of defeat.
The Blasters are on top of the table with 15 points. Chennai Smashers, meanwhile, climbed to third spot with 12 points after having been at the bottom prior to the tie.