PSPB lucky to win the title: Sharath Kamal

KOLKATA: Achanta Sharath Kamal on Thursday said their team Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) were lucky to win the men's final in the 72nd Senior National and Inter-State Table Tennis Championship at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.
Infected with a viral flu, the national champion on Thursday pulled out at the last minute which almost cost them the dearly but Sourav Chakraborty fought back from being two sets down in the fifth rubber to pip West Bengal 3-2 for their ninth title on the trot.
But the Indian sensation helped the team from the sidelines with his words of advice as he inspired Chakraborty for a memorable win.
"We were lucky to win the final. He was the man in form but things did not go the way we wanted. It was very very close and we were lucky to come out winning," Kamal said.
"It was a brilliant show by the West Bengal team, hats off to them. We never expected this sort of a challenge. We thought we would coast to a 3-0 win but things turned out otherwise."
PSPB men's team suffered badly after India number one Soumyadeep Roy lost both his matches - against Anirban Nandi and teenager Sourav Saha - putting the team in danger of being dethroned.
Sharath Kamal said the loss would be a wake-up call to the Indian number one.
"I think so... Roy's loss will be a wake-up call." He was all-praise for Chakraborty who fought back from being 0-2 down to trail past Nandi and settle the issue in PSPB's favour.
"I told him you need to start from the scratch. You got to think as if it's 0-0. Somehow, it got into his sub-conscious mind which helped in the end."
"It was not one-sided at all. It was a very good show of table tennis. I am really happy to see this," Kamal said.
Hero of PSPB's win Chakraborty thanked Kamal for inspiring the side.
"I didn't expect the match to stretch this far. Anirban Nandi and Sourav Saha played superb. I am playing for PSPB for the first time so obviously I was under tremendous pressure," Chakraborty said.