World No.25 Manika Batra will spearhead PBG Bengaluru Smashers’ challenge when they lock horns with defending champions Athlead Goa Challengers in the first semi-final of the IndianOil Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai on Thursday.

As the tournament reaches its business end, the stakes are high, and no teams can afford any half measures in the crucial knockouts although all the franchises will be relieved of the arithmetics of their respective standings on the points table.

The franchise-based league is promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the auspices of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). The league is airing on Sports18 Khel and streaming live on JioCinema in India and Facebook Live outside India. Tickets are available online through BookMyShow and offline at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium box office near Gate no. 1.

With 48 points, PBG Bengaluru Smashers ended as the leaders on the points table, while Athlead Goa Challengers finished fourth at the end of the league stage on Wednesday.

Heading into the contest against the Athlead Goa Challengers, PBG Bengaluru Smashers will be hoping to continue their dominating run in the tournament, having won four out of the five ties in the league stage.

In contrast, none of the other three semifinalists have managed to win more than three ties. But having said that, the reigning champions can’t be discounted at any cost, as they will bank on their previous experience to reach a second consecutive final.

In the crucial last-four clash, the PBG Bengaluru Smashers will pin their hopes on the experience of Manika, American Lily Zhang and Spanish star Alvaro Robles, and the exuberance of the young brigade led by Jeet Chandra and Taneesha Kotecha.

On the other hand, the Athlead Goa Challengers will have a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist in Harmeet Desai and the experienced Italian Mihai Bobocica and Yangzi Liu of Australia in their ranks. Not to forget, Yashaswini Ghorpade has been in scintillating form and could be the one to watch out in her potential clash against Lily Zhang.

Squads:

First Semi-final: PBG Bengaluru Smashers vs Athlead Goa Challengers

PBG Bengaluru Smashers: Manika Batra, Alvaro Robles (Spain), Lily Zhang (USA), Jeet Chandra, Taneesha Kotecha, Amalraj Anthony

Athlead Goa Challengers: Harmeet Desai, Yangzi Liu (Australia), Yashaswini Ghorpade, Sudhanshu Grover, Sayali Wani, Mihai Bobocica