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KUALA LUMPUR – The national team trounced the host, the United Arab Emirates 5-0 to get their 2023 Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship off to a winning start in Dubai yesterday.
National men's singles ace Lee Zii Jia kicked off their Group B campaign in style with a 21-12, 21-15 win over Bharath Latheesh at the Dubai Exhibition Centre.
National professional women's singles shuttler Goh Jin Wei then needed just 19 minutes to put Malaysia 2-0 up when she crushed Madhumitha Sundarapandian 21-0, 21-7 before professional men's doubles pair Teo Ee Yi-Ong Yew Sin confirmed victory by making it 3-0 with a 21-11, 21-13 triumph over Dev Ayyappan-Dhiren Ayyappan.
The Malaysians then added two more points through women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, who took just 21 minutes to dispose of Sanika Dhawan Gurav-Taabia Khan 21-9, 21-8, and professional mixed doubles pair Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing, who downed Dev Vishnu-Aleena Qathun 21-10, 21-9.
Meanwhile, in another Group B match, India crushed Kazakhstan 5-0.
Malaysia will face Kazakhstan in their second Group B match today. – Bernama, February 15, 2023