Sharath, Manika to spearhead challenges at World TT in Durban

JALANDHAR: Birmingham Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra, the top-ranked Indian women player, will spearhead an 11-member Indian squad at the 2023 World Table Tennis Championships in Durban from May 20 to 28.

The team comprises five men and six women.

The 59th edition of the Worlds will be confined only to the team championships and the first in Africa since 1939 when Egypt hosted the event.

The selection committee of Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) considered the latest selection policy, experience and the utility value of the individuals in important events such as the Worlds before recommending the members to represent the country.

The men’s team will consist of the top-ranked Indian in the world, G Sathiyan, ranked No. 50, A Sharath Kamal (No. 55), Manush Shah, Harmeet Desai and Manav Thakkar, while Manika Batra (No. 40), Sreeja Akula, Sutirtha Mukherjee, Reeth Rishya, Archana Kamath and Diya Chitale will form the women’s squad.

Sathiyan, Sharath, Manush, and Harmeet will compete in the men’s singles and the doubles. Sathiyan will pair up with Sharath, while Manush and Harmeet will form the second pair.

Manika, Sreeja Akula, Sutirtha Mukherjee and Reeth Rishya will compete in the singles. However, Manika will team up with Archana Kamath, while Sreeja will combine with Diya Chitale in the women’s doubles.