FCI set up title clash with ONGC

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, March 29 

Food Corporation of India (FCI) will face ONGC in the men’s team final in the All-India Public Sector Promotion Board Table Tennis Tournament at the Sector 23 TT Hall here on Saturday. 

In the semifinals on Friday, FCI registered a 3-1 win over ESIC, while ONGC got the better of LIC.  

FCI took the lead against ESIC as Nikhil downed Veera Raghvan 11-4 11-8 15-13 in the opening match. Surojit Das, though, helped ESIC draw level after a hard fought win over Mohmmad Ali. Das won 11-4 3-11 11-7 7-11 12-10. 

Sameer Saini and Nikhil, however, won the next two matches to push FCI into the final. Saini drubbed Subhendu Shaw 11-8 11-9 11-8, while Nikhil dispatched Das 11-8 11-5 11-5. 

ONGC also registered a 3-1 win against LIC. 

Jubin Kumar gave ONGC a head start with a 10-12 9-11 12-10 11-3 11-9 win over R Rajesh. 

In the next match, Sourov Saha beat Sougata Sarkar 7-11 13-11 8-11 11-5 11-5 to double the ONGC lead.  

Ravi Joshi beat Dipit 15-13 11-13 11-8 11-8 to reduce the deficit for LIC, but Jubin defeated Sarkar 11-8 9-11 11-7 11-8 in the fourth match to seal a 3-1 victory for ONGC.  

RBI women in final

In the women’s semifinals, RBI packed off ESIC 3-1, while ONGC edged out HPCL 3-2.

RBI’s Amrutha blanked Pushali Jati 11-7 11-7 11-3 in the opening match, but Nikhat Banu faced a 9-1111-9 11-8 9-11 7-11 loss against Esha Monga. 

Harsha Vardhini defeated Kabita Das 11-4 11-2 11-6, while Nikhat secured an 11-4 11-7 11-3 win over Poushali to help the bankers close the match 3-1. 

In the second semifinal, ONGC had a shaky start as Puja lost 11-13 11-7 12-10 4-11 9-11 to HPCL’s Poymantee Baisya. 

Mousumi Paul helped ONGC restore parity with a 6-11 11-7 9-11 11-7 11-7 win over Prapti Sen. Suhana Sen then drubbed Nilofer 11-2 11-4 11-2 to put the side in lead. 

Prapti, though, turned the tables on Puja to keep HPCL in the hunt. Prapti won 5-11 11-2 6-11 17-15 11-6. 

In the decider, Mousumi kept her poise to register an 11-8 11-9 11-5 win over Poymantee and guide ONGC into the final.