Sri Lanka, after losing the previous two games in the Badminton Mixed Team event at the Commonwealth Games 2018 to India and Scotland, 5-0 and 4-1 respectively, took on Pakistan in their final encounter of the 1st round. Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan convincingly, scripting a 4-1 victory.
The first and second matches of the tie saw Sri Lanka sail through to a couple of easy wins. Buwaneka Goonethilaka and Kavidi Sirimannage wrapped up the mixed doubles in two sets while veteran campaigner Dinuka Karunaratna clinched victory in the men`s single in a similar fashion.
Goonethilaka and Sirmannage took on Irfan Bhatti and Palwasha Bashir in the maiden match. After winning the first set 21/16, it was walk in the park for the second set. A 10-minute set was wrapped up with ease, as the scorecard read, 21/04.
Niluka Karunaratne sat out of the tie, but his brother Dinuka did justice to his selection. After 34 scintillating minutes on the court, Dinuka dropped Murad Ali flat 21/18, 21/17 to put Sri Lanka ahead in the tie 2-0.
The momentum was interrupted when Madushika Beruwelage lost her way in the women`s singles as Mahoor Shahzad got Pakistan their first win of the tie. The first set went in favor of Shahzad 21/14. Beruwelage failed to stamp her authority in the must-win second set, as the match ended 21/18.
Buwaneka Goonethilaka and Sachin Dias teamed up for the men`s doubles. With Pakistan winning one match in the tie, the lads had to win the match to ease through to victory or put the team into a nail-biting finale in the final match-up, the Women`s doubles.
Murad Ali and Irfan Bhatti failed to provide the spark Pakistan needed, however, as the match was sealed 2 sets to 0 by the Sri Lankan pair. Goonethilaka and Dias took just 09 minutes to win the first set 21/11. The must-win second set for Pakistan ended 21/14, as Sri Lanka took the tally in the tie to an unassailable 3-1.
With Sri Lanka clinching the tie in the penultimate game, the final match was played with no pressure. Thilini Hendahewa together with Kavidi Sirimannage took on Mahoor Shahzad and Palwasha Bashir in the women`s doubles. Sri Lanka won the match in straight sets, 21/7, 21/11 beating Pakistan 4-1.
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