Arvind Bhat optimistic of Bengaluru TopGuns making the semifinal cut of the 2016 Premier Badminton League
The Bengaluru TopGuns have an uphill task ahead of them if they are make it through to the semifinals of the 2016 Premier Badminton League. The team are currently at the bottom of the points table with 8 points to their credit and face off in a must-win encounter against the Chennai Smashers at the Kanteerava Stadium on Wednesday.
Speaking to the media ahead of the crunch encounter, the coach of the team Arvind Bhat said that the TopGuns have a good chance of making it through to the final 4 and conceded that had they not lost an extra Trump Match, the situation could have been different.
“We have only eight points but we are looking at it very positively. In fact, if we had won one trump out of all these matches, we would have ended up on 11 and been in a comfortable position to make it to the semis.
“It’s just that one match that has made the difference. We hope that in the Chennai match we get that one extra game,” the former India player-turned-coach said.
Hoping for Di to be at her best: Bhat
One of the challenges that the hosts will face on Wednesday night would be in the Women's Singles tie where they would have a confident P V Sindhu to counter and the 36-year-old hoped that Suo Doi, who too has been very good during the duration of the competition, will be at her best when she faces the Indian.
“She played three games against Saina [Nehwal] and we saw Sindhu play three against Han Li. And Suo Di is better than Han Li. We are hoping that the pressure will take its toll on Sindhu.”
“Out of the five we need to win four including our trumps,” said Bhat. “We do really hope Suo Di can play her best,“ he concluded.
The TopGuns have to win 4 out of the 5 matches, including both their Trump Matches in order to harbor any hopes of making it to the semis.