PBL 2018: Awadhe Warriors vs Chennai Smashers, Live Match Updates

Awadhe Warriors def Chennai Smashers, 4-3

Updated: 23 December 2017 23:08 IST - Published: 23 December 2017 19:23 IST

And with that, we wrap up our live coverage of the day. Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for staying with us.

Do join us tomorrow for the live coverage of Day 2 of the PBL 2018.

Till then, keep following Sportskeeda for all the latest updates from the world of sports.

Goodbye!

It was a thrilling game of badminton between the @ChennaiSmashers & the @awadhewarrior as the defending champions were beaten 4-3 in the opening tie of the #VodafonePBL Season 3.#CHEvAWD #SmashTheHouseDown pic.twitter.com/5PYFPOH31l
— PBL India (@PBLIndiaLive) December 23, 2017

But there's no denying that the Awadhe Warriors look the team to beat this season!

They have stars in every department and are well-balanced. There's great coordination among the team members.

This is definitely the start that they needed in their quest for their maiden PBL title.

That wasn't a great start to Chennai Smashers' title defence. But in PBL, it most depends on which player takes the court on which day. The unpredictability of the league is what makes it exciting.

A comfortable finish at the end for PV Sindhu as she wins 15-10, 15-9. Great effort by Uttejitha Rao but Sindhu proved to be superior.

This also means that @ChennaiSmashers win 2 points as Sindhu was their trump.#CHEvAWD #VodafonePBL #SmashTheHouseDown pic.twitter.com/qvhsV5ubNb
— PBL India (@PBLIndiaLive) December 23, 2017

And with that, the Awadhe Warriors have won this contest, 4-3

The men's doubles pair and PV Sindhu really worked hard to make it a respectable score, given how poorly they started.

Despite the loss, that was a promising show by the young Sai. This experience will surely help her in the future.

That was a vital Trump win for the Smashers, who did not have the best of evenings.

Final score: Sindhu def Sai 15-10, 15-9

As Sai fails to pick up a shot at the net, Sindhu wins!

And she makes it, 14-9

12-9 it is to the Olympic silver medallist

She looks fired up!

And now Sindhu has wrested the momentum.

10-8

Rao leads 8-6 at the midgame interval

But Sindhu is the World No. 3 for a reason!

She evens the score. 6-6

Sindhu grabbed 2 points on the trot but Sai responded with a deft touch at the net.

Sai up 6-4

And she goes up to 5-2

What a massive effort!

The youngster builds a 2-0 lead in the second game

And she takes the opener, 15-10

Sindhu leads 14-10

Sai is trying hard but is lacking in accuracy.

It's 12-9 for the World Championships silver medallist.

She trails 9-10

Sai is showing some amazing defensive skills. Surely, this is a tremendous learning experience for the youngster.

It's 8-7 to SIndhu at the midgame interval

And Sindhu restores order.

7-7

Would you believe it?

Sai leaps to 7-5 over Sindhu

Sai is showing some fabulous smashes here.

It's 4-4

We are already witnessing quite a few superb rallies.

Sindhu takes a 4-2 lead

We are under way!

Sindhu leads 2-1

Chennai have decided to pick Sindhu's match as their Trump Match and it is absolutely a wise decision. Sindhu takes on the 19-year-old Sai Uttejitha Rao Chukka of the Awadhe Warriors in the last match of the day.

.@ChennaiSmashers finally record a point on the board!

They win their first match of the season as Chris Adcock & Lee Yang beat Hendra & Chin Chung 15-11, 10-15, 15-11.@ChennaiSmashers 1-4 @awadhewarrior #CHEvAWD #VodafonePBL #SmashTheHouseDown pic.twitter.com/bGJHDInDyR
— PBL India (@PBLIndiaLive) December 23, 2017

The defending champions finally have a point. And they will now look to PV Sindhu to deliver their second win of the day!

Final score: Adcock & Yang def Setiawan & Chung, 15-11, 10-15, 15-11.

And the Chennai pair wins it!

15-11

Adcock and Yang shake it off quickly and make it 14-11

But the Awadhe pair takes 2 points in a row to cut down the lead.

And they win a challenge here.

It's all one-way traffic here!

13-7

They still have a four-point advantage.

11-7

And the Chennai pair looks totally determined to get their first win of the day!

They are up 9-5

The Chennai duo is 8-4 up at halftime

But it's an amazing turnaround here!

The Chennai pait have calmed themselves and brought forth their aggression to take 5 points on the trot.

They lead 6-3

It's 3-1 to the Awadhe pair as Hendra Setiawan oozes brilliance

And we have a decider, just like we had in the mixed doubles match at the start of this contest.

But the Warriors convert it, anyway!

15-10

The Chennai duo saves a game point

It's game point to Setiawan and Chin

14-9

What a rally! It ends on a fabulous deception on a dropshot by Yang!

They now trail 8-13

And Lee Yang has lost his touch innthis game.

It's all too easy for the Warriors now.

12-6

It's 9-5 to the Warriors on resumption