Fancied Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) men’s and women’s teams scored contrasting semi-final wins to advance to the Team Championships (Institution) final of the 49th LIC of India-Senior National Carrom Championship 2021-2022 at the Shree Halari Visa Oswal Samaj Hall, Dadar (East) on Friday.
The National Championship is being organised by the All India Carrom Federation (AICF) and hosted by the Maharashtra Carrom Association (MCA) and is co-sponsored by ONGC, Indian Oil, Union Bank of India, Bank of India and Hindustan Petroleum.
In the men’s penultimate round, PSPB blanked JISL (Jain Irrigation System Limited) 3-0. K. Srinivas gave PSPB a solid start defeating Yogesh Dhongade 25-12, 25-18. Later, PSPB’s doubles pair of Y. Pardeshi and R. Babu prevailed of Pankaj Pawar and Anil Mundhe winning in straight sets at 25-10, 20-15 before Mohd Ghufran got the better of Abhijit Tripankar 25-3, 9-18, and 21-8 to complete the win.
In the final, PSPB will clash with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) who defeated CCSCSB (Central Civil Services Cultural & Sports Board) 3-0 in the second semi-final.
In the women semi-finals, PSPB survived a scare from CCSCSB before scraping by a narrow 2-1 margin. PSPB suffered an early setback as Rashmi Kumari lost to K. Naga Joshi 17-25, 13-18. But, the doubles combination of S. Ilavzhaki and Parimala Devi comfortably defeated CCSCSB pairing of Gayatri and Samidha Jadhav 25-4, 25-5 before Kajal Kumari outshone B. Vinitha coasting to 19-12, 25-5 win to seal PSPB’s win and a passage to the final.
In the other women’s semi-final, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) overcame fancied Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) 2-1 to set up a title clash with PSPB. RBI got off to a dream start when Kavita Somachi scored a stunning straight sets win against World champion S. Appoorwa 23-8, 22-3. But, RBI’s double combo of Sangeeta Chandorekar and Vimila Shendge suffered defeat at the hands of the LIC duo of Medha Matkari and Shilpa Palnitkar losing 17-20, 14-8, 9-25. In the deciding tie, Ambika Harith fought hard and recovered from the loss of the first set to beat P. Nirmala 2-24, 17-9, and 24-11 to secure a satisfying win for the bankers.
Team championship – Women Institution (semi-finals):
PSPB beat CCSCSB 2-1 (Rashmi Kumari lost to K. Naga Joshi 17-25, 13-18; S. Ilavzhaki/Parimala Devi beat Gayatri/Samidha Jadhav 25-4, 25-5; Kajal Kumari beat B. Vinitha 19-12, 25-5).
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) beat Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) 2-1 (Kavita Somachi beat S. Appoorwa 23-8, 22-3; Sangeeta Chandorekar/Vimila Shendge lost to Medha Matkari/Shilpa Palnitkar 17-20, 14-8, 9-25; Ambika Harith beat P. Nirmala 2-24, 17-9, 24-11).
Men Institution (semi-finals):
PSPB beat JISL 3-0 (K. Srinivas beat Yogesh Dhongade 25-12, 25-18; Y. Pardeshi/R. Babu beat Pankaj Pawar/Anil Mundhe 25-10, 20-15; Mohd Ghufran beat Abhijit Tripankar 25-3, 9-18, 21-8).
RBI beat CCSCSB 3-0 (Prashant More beat Rahul Solanki 24-14, 25-0; Zaheer Pasha/Ravi Waghmare beat V. Sivananda Reddy beat R. Dharni Kumar 25-2, 25-10; Surya Prakash beat M. Ashok Kumar 5-25, 25-0, 24-9).