<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Last edition's bronze medallists India have bowed out of the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships after losing 3-0 to Japan in the quarterfinals on Friday.&nbsp;</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Up-and-coming mixed doubles combination of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto and women&rsquo;s singles player Malvika Bansod gave their all against much higher-ranked opponents but could not avoid India&rsquo;s loss against the formidable Japan&mdash;winners of the championship in 2017&mdash;in the last eight stage.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Facing the World No. 12 combination of Hiroki Midorikawa and Natsu Saito in the first match of the tie, Dhruv and Tanisha forced a decider with a spirited fightback in the second game. But the experienced Japanese combination prevailed in the 61-minute contest 21-13, 17-21, 21-13 to take the lead.&nbsp;</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Malvika then had the task of stopping World No. 8 Tomoka Miyazaki, but her efforts were not enough as she went down 21-12, 21-19 against the Japanese star shuttler.&nbsp;</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">India needed Asian Games bronze medallist HS Prannoy to put them on track. The 32-year-old kept those hopes alive briefly as he fought back from a game down to take the men&rsquo;s singles match against Kenta Nishimoto in the third and deciding game.&nbsp;</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">However, Nishimoto was quick to get off the blocks in the decider, racing to a 0-6 lead. Prannoy fought back after changing ends at 3-11, but it was too late to overturn the deficit as he went down 14-21, 21-15, 12-21 in an hour and 17 minutes.&nbsp;</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">India made its way to the knockout stage after routing Macau 5-0 in the opening Group D tie and a hard-fought 2-3 loss against South Korea.&nbsp;</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Japan will next play the winner of the tie between China and Hong Kong for aplace in the final.&nbsp;</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">India's campaign in the last edition of the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship ended with a 2-3 loss to China in the semifinals, and they returned home with a first-ever medal&mdash;a bronze&mdash;from the continental tournament.</span></div>
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<div><strong><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Result: India lost to Japan 0-3 (Dhruv Kapila/Tanisha Crasto lost to Hiroki Midorikawa/Natsu Saito 13-21, 21-17, 13-21; Malvika Bansod lost to Tomoka Miyazaki 12-21, 19-21; H S Prannoy lost to Kenta Nishimoto 14-21, 21-15, 12-21).</span></strong></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><em><strong>&mdash;IANS</strong></em></span></div>

Team India pose for a photo during the tournament

Lose quarterfinal match to 2017 championship winners Japan by 3-0

India Crash out of Badminton Asia Mixed Team C'ships

Lose quarterfinal match to 2017 championship winners Japan by 3-0

February 14, 2025 | 12:15 IST