IBL Final: K Srikanth defeats S Tanongsak, Awadhe Warriors lead 1-0

As Hyderabad Hotshots takes on Awadhe Warriors in the Indian Badminton League final on Saturday, a lot will depend on the first match where K Srikanth takes on S Tanongsak.

Zee Media Bureau/Suyash Srivastava

Mumbai: As Hyderabad Hotshots took on Awadhe Warriors in the Indian Badminton League final on Saturday, Awadhe Warriors' K Srikanth got his side to a terrific start as he defeated S Tanongsak 21-12, 21-20. Tanongsak had been unbeaten in the tournament but Srikanth stunned him with his aggressive play. Tanongsak was looking clueless in the second game where he was trailing 5-13 at one stage. Srikanth lost his focus at that stage and towards the end, both the players had a game point each and Srikanth sealed the match with a cross court smash. Awadhe Warriors now lead 1-0 against Hyderabad Hotshots in the IBL Final. ==================================================================================== 2nd GAME: SRIKANTH wins it 21-10 # Srikanth SEALS THE GAME AND THE MATCH WITH A DOWN THE LINE SMASH! 21-20. # Good dribble from Srikanth, GAME POINT FOR SRIKANTH AS WELL, 20-20 # Srikanth tries another smash, finds the net this time, GAME POINT FOR TANONGSAK! 20-19. # RALLY OF THE MATCH ended when Srikanth executed a perfect cross court smash, 19-19. # Good dribble by Tanongsak, Srikanth's shot finds the net, 19-18 lead for Tanongsak. # Cross court smash from Srikanth once again goes wide, 18-18. # Point for Srikanth, Tanongsak's shot went out, 18-17. # Wrong shot from Srikanth, 17-17. WHAT A COMEBACK FROM TANONGSAK! # Srikanth's smash goes below the nets! 16-17. # Srikanth's smash goes wide, 15-17. # Tanongsak's shot is short, 17-14. # Srikanth falls on the court after a tremendous rally, Tanongsak had ample time to target his area in the court, 14-16. # Point won by Srikanth, 16-13. # Srikanth's return of smash hits the nets, 13-15. # Good play from Tanongsak once again, 12-15. # Smash from Tanongsak, 11-15. # Good dribble from Tanongsak, 10-15. # Srikanth's drop shot falls short, 9-15. # Tanongsak's smash goes wide, 15-8. # Good reflexes from Srikanth, he now leads 14-8 at second break. # Good body smash from Tanongsak, 8-13. # Tanongsak wins another point, 7-13. # Tanongsak wins a point, 6-13. # Good down the line smash from Srikanth, WHAT A SMASH! 13-5 # Point won by Tanongsak, good play at the nets by him, 5-12. # Wrong judgement from Srikanth, 4-12. # Point for Srikanth, 12-3. # Good play once again from Srikanth, his opponent has almost given up, 11-3. # Another point for Srikanth, 10-3. # Srikanth's backhand falls in, Tanongsak misjudges again, 9-3. # Again Tanongsak's fails at the nets, 8-3 Srikanth leads now. # Terrific cross court smash from Srikanth, 7-3 he leads at the first break. # This time Srikanth's deception doesn't work, 3-6. # Good play once again at the nets from Srikanth, 6-2. # Second point for Tanongsak, 2-5. # Tanongsak wins a point, 1-5. # Tanongsak's shot falls short, 5-0. # Good deception from Srikanth, 4-0. # Cross court smash from Srikanth, 3-0. # Another point for Srikanth, good return of serve, 2-0. # Srikanth wins the first point, 1-0. ==================================================================================== 1st GAME: # And Srikanth wins the first game 21-12 with a cross court smash. # Tanongsak wins a point, 12-20. # Tanongsak's shot goes long, game point for Srikant, 20-11. # Shuttle is in, wrong judgement from Tanongsak, 19-11 lead for Srikant. # Good smash from Tanongsak, 11-18. # Srikant controlling the game, 18-10 he leads. # Srikant wins two more points, 17-10. # Another point for Srikant, 15-10. # Good dribble from Srikant once again, 14-10 Srikant leads at second break. Srikant is up for a fight against his unbeaten opponent. # Point for Tanongsak, 10-13. # Error of judgement from Tanongsak, 13-9. # Another point for Srikanth at the nets, 12-9 he leads. # Srikant's shot goes long, 9-11. # Good smash from Srikanth, but it goes wide, 8-11. # Point for Tanongsak, 7-11. # Another point for Srikanth, 11-6. # Back-to-back smashes from Tanongsak, 6-10. # Aggression from Srikanth, 10-5 he leads now. # Good play at the nets from Srikanth, 9-5 he leads now. # Good serve from Srikanth, 8-5. # Another point for Srikanth, he leads 7-5 at first break. # Point for Srikanth, 6-5 he leads. # Point for Tanongsak, 5-5. # Good body smash from Srikanth, he now leads 5-4. # Another point for Srikanth, 4-4. # Good dribble from Srikanth, 3-4. # Tanongsak wins a point, 4-2. # Another smash that goes wide for Tanongsak this time, 3-2. # Another smash from Tanongsak, 3-1. # Tanongsak loses a point, 1-2. # Another smash from Tanongsak, another point 2-0 he leads. # Tanongsak wins the first point with a powerful smash, 1-0 he leads. ==================================================================================== S Tanongsak has been unbeaten in the tournament while 20-year-old K Srikanth has impressed everybody in the tournament.