PBL: Mumbai Rockets trump Delhi Dashers 5-0, Verma shocks

Mumbai Rockets started their Premier Badminton League campaign on a winning note as they turned the heat on Delhi Dashers and comfortably won their tie with 5-0 margin on Sunday here.

But the surprise package of the evening was Mumbais Shreyanshi Pardeshi (World number 201) who overcame World number 32 Russian Evgeniya Kosetskaya. Pardeshi was a game down but then won the next two games to win the match 12-15, 15-8 and 15-10. This was Delhis trump match, which they ended up losing and also the only point they earned.

In the opening game, Shreyanshi struggled to tackle the height advantage of her Russian opponent and was mostly chasing the shuttle in rallies. But after losing the opening game, she changed tactics by hitting her tosses slightly higher and then going to quick cross-court drops.

Earlier, the Mumbai Rockets were off to a flying start as their South Korean mens double pair of Kim Gi Jung and Lee Yong Dae scored a come-from behind victory over their rivals ...