UAE - The PV Sindhu-led Indian team will start their campaign against Kazakhstan in the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship (February 14-19) at the Expo City-Dubai Exhibition Centre on Tuesday.

The opening day will witness top teams including defending champions China starting their campaigns in their respective groups.

Asian powerhouse China will face Uzbekistan in Group A, while other top seeded teams Japan (Group D) and Indonesia (Group C) take on Pakistan and Syria in their opening ties.

Meanwhile, hosts UAE will lock horns with Malaysia in Group B in the second session.

Top two teams from each of the four groups will make it to the knockout stage, which begins on Day 4 of the championship.

The semifinals will be played on Saturday while the finals are set to take place on Sunday, February 19.

A large number of Indian is expected to turn up at the venue cheer for Team India, which will be led by two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu.

“It’s always nice to play in Dubai. I played last in Dubai three years ago at the BWF Superseries Finals. The Team Championships are always different; and I love the atmosphere. I hope we can put up a strong show at the event,” said Sindhu.

Japan’s mixed doubles specialist Yuta Watanabe was excited to be here too and is looking forward to starting the team’s first match in Group D.

“I am very excited to be in Dubai and play some good matches in front of Dubai crowd. I will try to do my best for my team,” Watanabe said.

Indonesia’s world no. 2 men’s singles player Anthony Sinisuka Ginting was keenly looking forward to the event and felt that it is going to be an “exciting contest”.

China will have names like Zhao Junpeng, who was part of China's gold medal winning team at 2019 edition, and Huang Dong Ping, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist.

Malaysia, meanwhile, will be led by their star doubles pair Soh Wooi Yik and Aaron Chia

February 14 to February 19

Expo City- Dubai Exhibition Centre

17

China, South Korea, Singapore, Uzbekistan

Malaysia, India, Kazakhstan, UAE

Indonesia, Thailand, Bahrain, Syria, Lebanon

Japan, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong (China), Pakistan

South Korea vs Singapore, Indonesia vs Lebanon, China vs Uzbekistan

(after 1 pm) Malaysia vs UAE, India vs Kazakhstan

(after 5 pm) Chinese Taipei vs Hong Kong (China), Japan vs Pakistan, Bahrain vs Lebanon, Indonesia vs Syria

Indonesia vs Bahrain, China vs Singapore, South Korea vs Uzbekistan, Thailand vs Lebanon

(after 1 pm) Japan vs Hong Kong (China), Chinese Taipei vs Pakistan

(after 5 pm) India vs UAE, Thailand vs Bahrain, Syria vs Lebanon, Malaysia vs Kazakhstan

China vs South Korea, Singapore vs Uzbekistan

(after 1 pm) Japan vs Chinese Taipei, Indonesia vs Thailand, Hong Kong (China) vs Pakistan, Bahrain vs Syria

(after 5 pm) Malaysia vs India, Kazakhstan vs UAE

Knockout stage draw will be made after completion of last match of group stage

Copyright © 2022 Khaleej Times. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).