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CWG 2018: India men's TT team beats Nigeria, bags gold

CWG 2018: India men's TT team beats Nigeria, bags gold

The Indian men table tennis team

Story highlights

Indian men won the gold medal in table tennis team event at 21st Commonwealth Games

Indian men teamwon the gold medal in table tennisevent at 21st Commonwealth Games. Team India defeated Nigeria 3-0 to clinch the gold medal on Monday.

On Sunday, Indian women's table tennis team outplayed four-time defending champions Singapore 3-1 to clinch the gold medal at the 21st Commonwealth Games and it is the first time since the racket sport's induction into the Commonwealth Games' program that India has topped both categories.

As many as six players are in the top-100 of the men's world rankings and two in the women's standings.

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Kamal, who has four CWG gold medals to his name now, set the ball rolling by beating Bode Abiodun in the opening singles.

The experienced Indian was sluggish to start with, losing the first game.

From the second game onwards, 48th-ranked Kamal was his usual self, unleashing forehand drives on either side of the table.

His power and range of strokes was too hot to handle for the Nigerian as Kamal completed a 4-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-9 win.

Just like his senior teammate, G Sathiyan too fumbled in the first game but bounced back in style to outplay 2002 CWG singles gold medallist Segun Toriola 10-12, 11-3, 11-3, 11-4.

India was now one step away from the gold and 46th-ranked Sathiyan teamed up with Harmeet Desai to cross the finishing line. The Indian duo defeated Abiodun and Olajide Omotayo 11-8, 11-5, 11-3 to complete a memorable triumph.

The Indian side also benefited from the absence of world no. 26 Aruna Quadri, Nigeria's highest-ranked player. Toriola is ranked second highest at 166.

Team India has improved its performance from its disappointing show in Glasgow four years ago when it just managed just a silver in men's doubles.

India has so far won nine gold medals, four silver and five bronze medals at the ongoing Commonwealth Games.