Chandigarh: The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) women’s team made a dominant start at the 51st Institutional Table Tennis Championships, securing their place in the quarterfinals with a perfect 4-point finish in Group B at the Panjab University Gymnasium Hall.
RBI, seeded second, played two matches today and claimed comprehensive 3-0 victories in both. Their first win came against Canara Bank, followed by another 3-0 triumph over the Indian Audit and Accounts Department. With a third-round match against the depleted Department of Atomic Energy still to come, RBI’s quarterfinal berth is a formality.
The RBI squad, known for its consistency, relied on their top players—Ayhika Mukherjee, Sreeja Akula, and Diya Chitale—to maintain a flawless record. Diya was in top form, defeating Ananya Chande from Canara Bank 3-0 after a thrilling second game that went to 15-13 (11-4, 15-13, 11-8). Sreeja, despite losing a game to Maria Rony, bounced back to win 3-1 (11-5, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6). Ayhika sealed the deal with a commanding 3-0 win over Vanshika Deshna, further demonstrating RBI’s strength.
Meanwhile, in Group A, the top-seeded Railways Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) faced more challenges but still booked their quarterfinal spot. They began with a 3-1 victory over Food Corporation of India (FCI) in the morning session. However, FCI’s young talent, Vanshika Mudgal, delivered a surprise when she defeated Sutirtha Mukherjee 3-1 (11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9). The loss briefly put RSPB on the back foot, but Sutirtha bounced back, defeating Prithoki Chakraborty 3-1 to avoid further upset. Later, RSPB completed their Group A campaign with a 3-0 victory over Central Revenue, solidifying their place in the quarterfinals with two wins from two.
In Group C, the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) women used strategic team selections to stay in control. Veteran Mouma Das was included as the third player in their lineup, which proved successful as they defeated ESIC 3-0. The team’s younger players, Yashaswini Ghorpade and Pritha Vartikar, made strong starts to ensure their team’s commanding lead. Later, Reeth Rishya and Sayali Wani stepped in, and Petroleum easily defeated the Airports Authority of India 3-0 to confirm their place in the quarterfinals. The team’s combination of experience and youth proved key in both victories.
The PSPB men had a straightforward run, registering 3-0 victories over ESIC and Canara Bank in their Group A encounters. PSPB tested their bench strength, with recent recruit P.B. Abhinand partnering with Anthony Amalraj and Harmeet Desai. In the second match, Manav Thakkar replaced Amalraj, showing depth in their squad. G. Sathiyan, who has yet to compete, seems rested for the upcoming knockout rounds, ensuring PSPB’s strength is preserved for the tougher challenges ahead.
The RBI’s men kept a clean slate—they won both their ties—first beating Airforce SCB and then Central Revenue Sports Bord, secured their top spot in Group C and entered the quarterfinals. Regardless of the result, CRSB looks to book the second spot in the group to progress to the quarterfinal.
Results (Team Championships):
Men: (Rounds 1 and 2):
Group A: PSPB bt ESIC 3-0; PSPB bt Canara Bank 3-0.
Group B: RSPB bt Defence Accounts 3-0; RSPB bt FCI 3-0.
Group C: RBI bt Air Force SCB 3-0; RBI bt Central Revenue 3-0
Group D: AAI beat BSNL 3-0, IA&AD beat DAE 3-0; BSNL bt DAE 3-0
Women: (Rounds 1 and 2):
Group A: RSPB bt FCI 3-1; RSPB bt CRSB 3-0
Group B: RBI bt Canara Bank 3-0, IA&AD bt DAE 3-0; Canara Bank bt DAE 3-0, RBI bt IA&AD 3-0.
Group C: PSPB bt ESIC 3-0, AAI bt BSNL 3-0; PSPB bt AAI 3-0, ESIC bt BSNL 3-0.
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