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With the two-time semi-finalists Awadhe Warriors edging the defending champions Chennai Smashers in the Premier Badminton League (PBL) 2018 opener in Guwahati on Saturday, it’s time to shift our focus on Day 2 of this pan-Indian league.
Badminton lovers are expected to turn up in huge numbers in the Assamese city for their home team -- the North Eastern Warriors, who are also PBL debutants, will be beginning their campaign. They will face the Carolina Marin-led Hyderabad Hunters, who finished fourth in the last edition.
Experience-wise, the Hunters should be favoured since they have already got a taste of the vibrant PBL ambience and its format in the past two editions. All eyes will be on the reigning Olympic champion Marin as she will be the key performer for the Hunters.
The Spaniard has self-admittedly not fully recovered from the hip injury that cost her a chance to play at the Dubai World Superseries Finals. So, her fitness will be put to test on Sunday evening and if she can come through, then the Hunters’ job will likely be half done.
The new PBL entrants will be fielding the 21st ranked Michelle Li of Canada, who can be a feisty customer.
At the age of 37, Lee Hyun Il has been an epitome of steely determination. He reached the Denmark Open final after a series of upsets over Chen Long and Son Wan Ho. If the Korean and the Singapore Open winner B Sai Praneeth can get going, Hyderabad can feel much less pressure.
On the opposite side, World No. 11 Wang Tzu Wei will be leading the men’s singles challenge for the Warriors. He will have company from the former India No. 1 Ajay Jayaram.
The Mumbai shuttler will be seen in action for the first time since the Senior National Championships, where he had to retire because of a hamstring injury. It has been an injury-ravaged season for the former World No. 13 and he is itching to get back into play.
In men’s doubles, Korea’s Yoo Yeon-Seong and India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy are likely to team up for the Hunters. Kim Gi Jung and Shin Baek Cheol will possibly be their opponents. Markis Kido and Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth will be one mixed doubles pair to watch and their presence certainly gives the Hyderabad franchise an edge.
Also read: PBL 2018: All you need to know about the Hyderabad Hunters
Here is all the information you need to know
Tournament name: Premier Badminton League Season 3
Venue: Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi A.C. Indoor Stadium,Guwahati
Date: Sunday, December 24, 2017
Time:
Hyderabad Hunters vs North Eastern Warriors at 7.30pm IST
Channel: Star Sports 2/Star Sports 2 HD
Livestream information: Star Sports Hotstar
The squads:
Hyderabad Hunters - B Sai Praneeth, Lee Hyun Il, Rahul Yadav Chittaboina, Carolina Marin, Rasika Raje, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Yoo Yeon-Seong, Markis Kido, Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth, Anoushka Parikh.
North Eastern Warriors - Wang Tzu Wei, Ajay Jayaram, Pratul Joshi, Michelle Li, Ruthvika Shivani Gadde, Kim Gi Jung, Chirag Shetty, Shin Baek Cheol, Prajakta Sawant, Sanyogita Ghorpade.
Also read: PBL 2018: All you need to know about the North Eastern Warriors
