Top-seeded India coasted to a brilliant win over Scotland in its final group play in Pool A of the mixed team event in badminton of the XXI Commonwealth Games at the Carrara sports arena 2 here on Friday.
India duplicated its feat of completing a 5-0 win, while talking Scotland in its stride, again without losing a set, to climb on top of the four-team league and ensure for itself a place in the quarterfinals. India had earlier defeated Sri Lanka and Pakistan on Thursday.
With P.V. Sindhu once again sitting out, it was Saina Nehwal who started the rout by scripting a comfortable 21-14, 21-12 win over Julie Macpherson and the writing was on the wall once K. Srikanth blanked Kieran Merrilees (21-18, 21-2) and the combine of Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki N. Reddy put it across Gilmour Kristy and Elena O’Donnell (21-8, 21-12).
However, the Indians kept up the pressure as they went on to win the remaining two ties of the rubber as well, when Satwik Rankireddy and Chirag Chandraskhar Shetty prevailed over Patrick Machugh and Adam Hall (21-16, 21-19) and Pranaav Chopra and Sikki N. Reddy shut out Marting Campbell and Julie Macpherson (21-17, 21-15).
The result: Mixed team event: Group A: India bt Scotland 5-0 (Saina Nehwal bt Julie Macpherson 21-14, 21-12; Kidambi Srikanth bt Kieran Merrilees 21-18, 21-2; Ashwini Ponnappa/Sikki N. Reddy bt Gilmour Kristy & Elena O’Donnell 21-8, 2-12; Satwik Rankireddy & Chirag Chandrasekhar Shetty bt Patrick Machugh & Adam Hall 21-16, 21-19; Pranaav Chopra & Sikki N. Reddy bt Martin Campbell & Julie Macpherson 21-17, 21-15.
