Top Guns play smashers in must-win game

Languishing at the bottom of the table, Bengaluru Top Guns face a do-or-die situation ahead of their final Premier Badminton League home game against Chennai Smashers here on Wednesday.

With Awadhe Warriors and Delhi Acers sealing semi-finals berth, Top Guns need to fire on all cylinders against the Smashers to make the knockout stage.

Arvind Bhat-coached Top Guns have eight points while Smashers are third with 13. Only a huge win against P.V. Sindhu’s outfit at the Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium will cement their spot.

“We are in this situation only because of losing the two Trump matches or else we would’ve been placed comfortably in the top four. But we are very positive of the tie and if we play to our potential, we can make the semis,” said Bhat.

Meanwhile, Chennai are returning from a humiliating 1-4 defeat at the hands of a Saina Nehwal-less Awadhe Warriors on Monday in Hyderabad.

So, the Trump matches will play an important role for the hosts. If Top Guns win all their matches, the Ashwini Ponnappa-led team will jump to 14 points while Smashers will slip to 12 owing to the one Trump point deduction rule.

“There is a lot of added pressure during Trump matches. The management will be expecting top players to win but there will be pressure. We need to perform,” asserted Ashwini.

Defeating former world no. 1 Lee Chong Wei was among the big victories of his career, admitted star shuttler Kidambi Srikanth. “It was among the best matches I’ve ever played and first time I beat him. It was one of the best victories,” he said.

But the Guntur-born Srikanth will have to come up with a better show against the Smashers. “It is a very tricky format and there will be a lot of pressure on us to win all the matches. Hopefully, we will give our best,” he added.

In the afternoon encounter, Delhi Acers take on Mumbai Rockets. Acers top the table with 15 points while Rockets have 13.