Hanghzhou: The Indian team humbled defending champions Malaysia 2-0 to reach the final of the men's squash event after the seasoned Saurav Ghosal and Abhay Singh registered identical wins at the Asian Games here on Friday.
India thus set up a marquee gold medal clash with Pakistan, against whom they lost in the pool stage and will seek revenge.
Abhay Singh started the proceedings for India on a positive note, securing a 3-1 (11-3, 12-10, 9-11, 11-6) win over Muhammad Addeen Idrakie Bin Bahtiar in the opening match. He took 57 minutes to ward off the challenge of Bin Bahtiar.
The experienced Ghosal then got the better of Eain Yow NG 3-1 (11-8, 11-6, 12-10, 11-3) in 69 minutes to wrap up the second semifinal.
Mahesh Mangaonkar was not required to play his match against Mohammad Syafiq Bin Mohd Kamal.
The Indian men had settled for the bronze medal in the last edition of the Games in Indonesia.
The Indian women's squash team signed off with a bronze medal after going down fighting to Hong Kong in the semifinals.
The trio of veteran Joshna Chinappa, Anahat Singh and Tanvi Khanna went down 1-2 to Hong Kong.
Joshna was the only Indian who won her match as she defeated world No. 24 Tze Lok Ho 3-2 (7-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8) to level the tie after Tanvi went down meekly (3-0) to Sin Yuk Chan in the opener.
Playing against high-ranked and experienced opponent in Lee Ka Yi, the 15-year-old Anahat tried her best.
The teenager saved eight match points as she went from 10-2 to 10-10 in the third game but eventually lost the final (0-3) 8-11, 7-11, 10-12 and the tie.
