JOIN USAir India posted a hard-fought 3-2 win over Karnataka in the final to emerge champions in the mixed team category of the Inter-State Inter-Zonal junior badminton championship here on Monday.
Mithun M won the boys’ singles contest against Balraj Kajla in straight games to give Air India the lead.
But Shikha Gautam levelled the scores for Karnataka with a 21-9, 26-24 victory over Prashi Joshi in the girls’ singles.
Air India once again went ahead when Dhruv Kapila and Mithun got past Saif Ali A and Raghu M in the boys’ doubles.
But Karnataka’s girls’ doubles pair of Ashwini Bhat K and Mithula U K beat Prashi and Sonika Sai P of Air India 21-17, 21-17 to help the hosts stay in the hunt and take title clash into the decider.
Dhruv and Sonika prevailed in the mixed doubles rubber 21-13, 17-21, 22-20 against Kajla and Mithula to hand Air India the trophy.
Result: Final: Air India bt Karnataka: 3-2 (Mithun M bt Balraj Kajla 21-15, 21-11; Prashi Joshi lt to Shikha Gautam 9-21, 24-26; Dhruv Kapila/Mithun bt Saif Ali A/Raghu M 21-16, 21-8; Prashi/Sonika Sai P lt to Ashwini Bhat K/Mithula U K 17-21, 17-21; Dhruva/Sonika bt Kajla/Mithula 21-13, 17-21, 22-20).