6th Badminton Asia Team Championships begins in Qingdao, China today

The 6th edition of the Badminton Asia Team Championships is set to begin in Qingdao, China, today. The men’s and women’s national teams from Asia will compete in the tournament. India’s women will begin their title defence without two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, who has withdrawn from the tournament. They have been placed in Group Y alongside fourth seeds Thailand and Myanmar.
Tanvi Sharma, Unnati Hooda, Malvika Bansod and a pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand are part of the Indian Women’s team. The men’s team has been drawn in Group C with fourth seeds Japan and Singapore. Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth and doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will lead the men’s side. Both the Indian men’s and women’s sides will begin their campaign tomorrow.