Highlights, Commonwealth Games 2018 Gold Coast Day 4: India women's team wins table tennis gold; Men beat Wales 4-3 in hockey

A great day for India comes to an end. 

The Day 4 of the Commonwealth Games saw Manu Bhaker, Heena Sidhu, Vikas Thakur, Punam Yadav and not to forget the women’s table tennis team win gold medals. Apart from that, the Indian badminton team too sealed a place in the final of the mixed team event beating Singapore 3-1. Meanwhile, Mary Kom assured India of a medal with an impressive win. 

Take a look at the medal tally: 

The Indian men’s basketball team go down fighting 81-96 against Scotland. 

The Scots always had the upper hand since the time they had a 37-35. Indian basketball teams, men and women, haven’t had the best of times as they have lost all their games till now. 

It’s a pity how a disastrous third quarter just lost the plot. India gave a tough competition to one of the strongest teams in the lot.

What a day for the Indian women! 

What a day for 🇮🇳 women!

5:30am: Manu Bhaker #CWG record
6:36am: 🇮🇳 women's hockey beat 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿󠁧
7:20am: Punam Yadav 🥇
7:50am: Mary Kom assures 🇮🇳of medal
8:10am: Bhaker 🥇, Heena Sidhu 🥈
9:57am: Saina guides 🇮🇳 to final
5:25pm: TT women's team 🥇 pic.twitter.com/xzbR23SCfg

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) April 8, 2018

Table tennis: India beat Singapore 3-1

And Manika Batra seals the deal for India! She beats Zhou in straight games 11-7, 11-4, 11-7 in the fourth match of the tie. 

The Indian women’s team has beaten the top seeds and runaway favourites Singapore. What a win over 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 winners. Clinical show! 

Table tennis: Singles

Batra played some extraordinary shots to take her opponent out. An 11-4 win for the Indian paddler there. She is one game away from winning gold for her country. 

The Singaporean Zhou looks out of touch. 

The third game has begun! 

Singles matc****h

Batra takes a 7-0 lead over Zhou in the second game. Her attacking shots are proving to be a handful for the Singaporean paddler.

Table tennis: Singles

​Batra 1-0 Zhou

That’s more like it! 

The Indian paddler avoided a defensive approach to shut out Zhou in the opening game. She takes the first game 11-8.

Batra had already registered a thumping win over the World No 4 in her first match. Can she win gold for India? 

Table tennis: India 2-1 Singapore

Manika Batra and Mouma Das wrap up the fourth game 11-7 to win the doubles tie against Yihan Zhou and Mengyu Yu. 

That’s an incredible win over heavyweights Singapore. 

Next up will be women’s singles, where Batra takes on Zhou. If she wins this, India take gold! 

Table tennis: Doubles

India drop third game: 8-11

Zhou and Yu manage to get the better of the Indian duo after losing the first two matches. India lose third game 8-11. India still lead the match 2-1 though. Fourth game coming up!

Finally, it’s over 

India clinch three points. Score – 4-3. Player of the match should be SV Sunil. He assists and scores, what else needs to be done. First win for India at the Gold Coast. This was close. Could have been an upset at 3-3. But India kept their head, was patient and got the goals. If they had lost their head in the last 3 minutes, it could easily have been a draw. But 3 points are important. India is alive for a semi-final spot. They have England and Malaysia ahead.

Table tennis: Doubles

India’s Mouma Das & Madhurika Patkar bag the second game 11-6 and are a win in the third game away from taking a 2-1 lead in the final. What an aggressive duo! The Singaporeans are finding it difficult to return the shots

GOOALL!

India lead again! It’s 4-3 now. 

SV Sunil slots it in from second rebound.

GOAL!

Wales get their 3rd. It’s 3-3. India in deep trouble. They need a win. Three points are crucial.

Table tennis: Doubles 

Das and Madhurika take the opening game 11-6 

So much energy and pace in their game. The girls have combined well to outsmart Zhou & Yu, who were too defensive in their approach. 
 
The second game gets underway! 

GOAL!

Harmanpreet Singh gets the flick right. It’s 3-2. Can they hold it now?

India 1-1 Singapore

Next up is women’s doubles!

India’s Mouma Das and Madhurika Patkar take on Yihan Zhou & Mengyu Yu in the third match of the tie.

Is India leaving it too late?

They are building well but that sharpness and the uncanny ability to find a forward is not there. Yet they have to go with patience. If they give space, Wales can break through. India had a PC but wasted. It’s still 2-2. Surprising no attacks from the left.

Table tennis: Singapore equalise 1-1

India’s Madhurika Patkar could not match up to Mengyu Yu’s pace in all the three games. The Singaporean’s attack was just outstanding. With that 13-11, 11-2, 11-6 win, Singapore have levelled the scores in this women’s team final tie 
 

WALES SCORE!

That’s why goals are needed to make the issue safe. Wales has found an equaliser of their 3rd PC. The flick hitting Rohidas and going high into the net. At 2-2, India will hunt for a match-winner. It’s been a game that has a lot of rigour. India halted by an efficient Wales side. At 2-2, anything can happen now.

Table tennis: Yu 2-0 Patkar

A flurry of errors flowing from the Indian’s paddle as an aggressive Yu makes the most of it. She dominates the second game 11-2 and now she just needs one more game to seal this match. 

The crucial third game gets underway. India need to reply now! 

Table tennis: Yu 1-0 Patkar

A neck-and-neck first game but Patkar couldn’t convert her attacking forehand shots into game points. Yu saved two match points to claim a 13-11 win over Patkar. 

Table tennis: India vs Singapore

Madhurika Patkar in action against Mengyu Yu in the second game of women’s team final. 

Oh well, Seema’s campaign ends with a combined total of 189 kg. She misses out on a medal at Gold Coast. 

She was well below her best in her Clean and Jerk attempts. Three lifters have already overtaken her and there are still two more lifters to come

Oh well, Seema’s campaign ends with a combined total of 189 kg. She misses out on a medal at Gold Coast. 

She was well below her best in her Clean and Jerk attempts. Three lifters have already overtaken her and there are still two more lifters to come

Table tennis: India 1-0 Singapore

MANIKA WINS!

Manika Batra beats Tianwei Feng 11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7 to give India 1-0 lead in women’s team final against Singapore.

She stuns the World No 4 in the women’s singles match. 

SV Sunil, the difference 

That’s the end of the 2nd Q. India leads 2-1. It’s been a gritty match. Wales, stubborn as hell not allowing India any space outside their striking circle. They played man to man and were careful in not giving away easy balls to India. Finally, it’s SV Sunil who gave both the assists, the first to Dilpreet and the 2nd created the PC. India, playing structured and working their feet off. It’s tough going. But India have it under control.

Weightlifting: Women

Almost there! 

Seema fails in her final 108 kg lift. She doesn’t look happy with her effort. Well, well, well. She now faces a nervous wait to know her fate in women’s 75 kg category

Weightlifting: Women

Seema makes another successful lift, this time of 105 kg to stay in contention for a podium finish in women’s 75 kg category. 

Can she lift 108kg in her next attempt?

INDIA TAKE LEAD, AGAIN!

GOAL! India get their 2nd PC. Rupinder Pal Singh flicks straight to GK. Manpreet smashes in which the GK saves and then Mandeep picks it up from below the pads and swipes it inside. India leads 2-1. Crucial lead here going towards the end of Q2.

Table tennis: Batra 2-2 Feng 

That’s some comeback by the Indian paddler. Batra takes the fourth game to enforce a decider! 

Yet again, Feng’s errors cost her the fourth game. 

Time for women’s weightlifting

Seema goes for her first attempt at the Clean & Jerk and she lifts it comfortably. She leads the table for now.

Table tennis: Feng 2-1 Batra

​Feng’s resolute defence helps her take the advantage in this women’s singles match. 

Batra gave points cheaply towards the end.