PBL 2020: North Eastern Warriors stun defending champs Bengaluru Raptors despite Tai Tzu Ying heroics

Chennai: Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk did the star turn as North Eastern Warriors pulled off an upset 4-3 win over defending champions Bengaluru Raptors in a Premier Badminton League match on Tuesday. [caption id=“attachment_4397519” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Tai Tzu Ying. AFP[/caption] With the tie level at 3-3 after four matches, the Thai left-hander scored a 15-7, 15-8 win over Frenchman Brice Leverdez to secure victory. For the Raptors, World No 2 Tai Tzu Ying put up a masterclass on her return to the PBL as she coasted to an easy 15-7, 15-5 win over rising star Ashmita Chaliha. In a clash of youth and experience, the former World No 1’s brilliant anticipation skills and finesse were too much for the South Asian Games gold medallist to handle even though Chaliha did have her moments. After trailing 0-4, the youngster rode on her aggression to bag some quickfire points and close the gap between them to two points at 4-6. It was, however, not enough to thwart PBL5’s joint-costliest player as she dashed Chaliha’s hopes to ease to victory. Fresh from reaching the semi-finals of the Indonesia Masters, the Warriors World No 18 Lee Cheuk Yiu defeated India’s B Sai Praneeth 15-14, 15-9 in the second match to level the tie for the Warriors. He won a tight opening game against the world championship bronze medallist and then sailed through the second to register a crucial win. Earlier, in an enthralling battle between two Olympic medallists, 2016 Rio Olympic silver medallist Chan Peng Soon beat 2008 Olympic champion Lee Yong Dae to give the defending champions a very good start. In partnership with multiple World Championship medallist Eom Hye Won, Soon put up a solid display against the Warriors pair of Lee Yong Dae and former World No 1 Kim Ha Na. In his fourth consecutive appearance at the league, Lee, who recently triumphed at the Malaysia Masters, could not find his champion form as the first match of the tie went in favour of the Raptors 15-8, 15-11.