Indian men's sepaktakraw team's Asian Games dream ends with defeat to South Korea

NEW DELHI: The Indian men's Sepaktakraw team showcased their skills but fell short of overcoming South Korea, leading to their exit from the quadrant event at the Asian Games.

The crucial final group stage encounter saw India engage in an intense battle against South Korea. Despite a valiant effort, the Indian team faced a 1-2 defeat, subsequently eliminating them from contention for a semifinal berth in the competition.

In a must-win match for the Indian contingent, they faced an initial setback, losing the opening set with a score of 16-21. Demonstrating their resilience, India regrouped and secured victory in the second set, claiming it with a score of 21-16.

However, South Korea, already out of contention for a semifinal spot, elevated their performance in the decisive third set, ultimately triumphing with a score of 21-16. This loss brought an end to India's journey in the quadrant event.

With this outcome, India secured the third position in Group B. Meanwhile, Japan and the Philippines advanced to the semifinals from the same group. In Group A, Indonesia and Myanmar secured their places in the last four.

Reflecting on their campaign, India initially faced a defeat in their opening match against Japan (0-2) but rebounded admirably, securing victories against Singapore (2-0) and the Philippines (2-0).

India's quest for an elusive gold medal in Sepaktakraw at the Asian Games continues. To date, the nation's best performance has been a bronze medal, which they achieved in the regu event during the previous edition of the Games held in Jakarta in 2018.

(With PTI inputs)