India rout Scotland 5-0, qualify for Gr-3 main draw

Ace shuttler Saina Nehwal rallied to tame Susan Hughes as India spanked Scotland 5-0 to top the pool and qualify for the promotional play-offs in the Sudirman Cup badminton tournament today.

On top of pool 3B, India will now take on the country which finishes on top of 3A and the winner will be promoted to the second tier of the prestigious tournament.

Saina and compatriots, including Arvind Bhat, continued to sizzle and snatched their third consecutive win in the biennial event, after steamrolling Australia 4-1 and routing Ukraine 5-0 yesterday.

After losing the first game 18-21, world number 10 Saina got her act together to stage a brilliant come back by clinching the next two games 21-13 21-19 to wrap up the issue in 52 minutes.

Arvind too strolled to an easy 21-15 21-16 victory against Gordon Thomson in the second match.

The mixed doubles pair of V Diju and Jwala Gutta sailed past Andrew Bowman and Emma Mason 21-17 21-12.

In men's doubles, Sanave Thomas and Rupesh Kumar quelled the late challenge from Andrew Bowman and Thomas Bethel to win 21-18 25-23 in a 33-minute encounter.

In Women's doubles, Aparna Balan and Shruti Kurian hardly broke a sweat to defeat Emma Mason and Jillie Cooper 21-12 21-15 and round off another brilliant outing for the Indians.