Host nation India secured at least a silver medal at the 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championships after the India B Seniors team staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Japan by a single IMP (126–125) and advance to the gold medal match on Saturday.
India B, trailing Japan by 22 IMPs going into the final session, staged a strong fightback, winning the last segment 56–40 to overturn the deficit and secure the closest match of the tournament. Coach and Captain of the Indian Seniors team, Anal Shah, described it as an intense contest that ended with India’s victory by just one IMP.
The Indian Senior B team includes Anil Padhye, Raju Tolani, Rajesh Dalal, Jitu Solani, Hemant Jalan, and Sukamal Das. They are set to face Australia in the championship match, with the Australian team comprising Ian Thomson, Terry Brown, Peter Gill, David Hudson, Michael Courtney, and Paul Lavings. The Seniors final will span three sessions over 1.5 to 2 days, with medals awarded in an all-play-all format.
In addition to the team championships, the HCL Friendship Matchpoint Pairs competitions have reached their final stage, with eight Indian pairs qualifying for the medal rounds across divisions, ensuring a strong national presence. The finals will be held over three sessions using matchpoint scoring in an all-play-all format.
Other team finals include China vs Hong Kong China A in the Men’s Final, China vs Indonesia in the Women’s Final, and Australia A vs China B in the Mixed Final. With India’s Seniors guaranteed a medal and multiple pairs in contention in the HCL Friendship Matchpoint Finals, the host nation continues to be well-represented as the Asia Cup Bridge Championships approach the Grand Finals on Saturday, June 27.
