Veteran Acantha Sharat Kamal raised his game just in time to help the Indian men's team escape unscathed against Kazakhstan but the women's table tennis team imploded against a resilient Thailand to bow out of the Asian Games here on Sunday.
Star Indian paddler Manika Batra failed in both her singles matches as the women's team lost 2-3 to a resilient Thailand.
The match against Kazakhstan was locked 2-2 when Sharath Kamal produced a face-saving win in the decisive fifth rubber.
Sharath had lost the opening singles tamely 1-3 ( 11-8, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8) to Krill Gerassimenko, the top-ranked player from Kazakhstan. The world No. 78 started briskly and ended in the same vein, despite Sharath winning the second game.
Sathiyan accounted for Aidos Kenzhigulov 14-12 11-8 11-5 to level the score before Harmeet Desai put India ahead. The world No. 69 Indian beat against Alan Kurumangaliyev 11-7, 12-10, 11-5.
However, Sathiyan faced stiff resistance from Krill in their reverse singles, but the world No. 107 struggled, eventually losing 5-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 5-11.
With the scores tied, much depended on the most experienced Sharath in his reverse singles against Aidos.
{{/usCountry}}With the scores tied, much depended on the most experienced Sharath in his reverse singles against Aidos.
{{/usCountry}}Sharath Kamal was caught on the wrong foot and lost the first two games but closed Aidos out with a 5-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9 in the decisive rubber.
The Indians, who won a historic bronze in the previous edition, will next meet North Korea in their quarterfinals.
The women went down fighting after Manika Batra fared rather poorly.
The top-ranked Indian at No. 31 lost 7-11, 1-11, 11-13 to left-hander Orawan Paranang, who is ranked No. 67.
But Ayhika Mukherjee repaired the early damage with a significant 18-16, 11-7, 13-15, 11-9 win over Suthasini Sawettabut. And Sutirtha Mukherjee provided the lead when she beat Tamolwan Khetkhuan 11-1, 9-11, 3-11, 11-7, 11-7.
Ayhika failed to consolidate the lead after leading 2-1 against Orawan as the Thail left-hander changed her strategy in the last two games to outsmart the Indian 10-12, 11-4, 5-11, 11-4, 11-3.
The entire focus and responsibility shifted to Manika, playing the decisive last rubber. But her struggle in the first game, which she won 12-10, gave a glimpse of not being in the groove.
Finally, Suthasini beat Manika 10-12, 11-8, 11-7, 11-6 to put Thailand in the quarters.
Thailand will play North Korea on Sunday for a place in the semifinals.