India, the defending champions, smoothly advanced to the knockout stage of the Thomas Cup after dominating England with a 5-0 victory in a Group C clash held on Monday.
Following their earlier 4-1 triumph over Thailand, India secured their spot in the quarterfinals with another impressive win. HS Prannoy marked his return to form by outplaying Harry Huang with a scoreline of 21-15 21-15, providing India with an initial 1-0 lead.
Reflecting on his performance, Prannoy emphasized the significance of setting a positive tone for the team from the outset. "To give a start to the team is really important, it gives a good boost to the team to go ahead. It is really important to finish off the matches clinically," he remarked, alluding to the importance of maintaining consistency throughout the tournament.
In the first doubles match, the formidable duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty faced a tough challenge from Ben Lane and Sean Vendy, eventually prevailing with a hard-fought 21-17 19-21 21-15 victory after an intense battle lasting one hour and five minutes.
Former world number one Kidambi Srikanth extended India's lead with a convincing 21-16 21-11 win over Nadeem Dalvi, showcasing his prowess on the court. Srikanth acknowledged the pressure on players to deliver victories and expressed his readiness to face tougher opponents in the upcoming matches.
Commenting on his recent performances, Srikanth acknowledged his current form, stating, "I'm playing well but not able to pull off the matches." He acknowledged the inevitable comparisons to his form in previous years, noting the differences in his playing style and circumstances.
The second doubles combination of MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila maintained India's momentum by defeating Rory Easton and Alex Green with a score of 21-17 21-19. Finally, Kiran George sealed the comprehensive victory for India by triumphing over Cholan Kayan with scores of 21-18 21-12.
India is now set to face group leaders and 14-time champions Indonesia in their final group fixture on Wednesday, anticipating another exciting clash on their path to defending the Thomas Cup title.
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