The atmosphere inside the SAC badminton court was electric, as Sri Venkateshwara College (Venky) prepared to face off against BKBIET. Anxieties ran high, as the match was delayed by an hour and three quarters, finally commencing at 6:45pm. The match concluded with Venkateshwara College coming out on top, winning 3 out of the 4 matches, as BKBIET put up a fierce competition.

Pratyush (Venky) vs Ashutosh (BKBIET) 15-21, 10-21

With the help of his superior placement and strong long shots, Ashutosh took an early lead in the first set. Pratyush tried his best to keep up by firing powerful shots, but most of them were either too wide or too long. He seemed frustrated towards the end of the set, as was displayed by his reckless playstyle. Final score was 15-21.

The second set started off slow, with the play focused more on technique than brute force. Both players were neck to neck, until Ashutosh took a four-point lead by tiring Pratyush out by forcing him to move around a lot, bringing the scores to 7-11. After this break, Pratyush lost his nerve and failed to maintain the tempo. The set ended 21-10, with BKBIET winning the first game.

Virat (Venky) vs Anuj (BKBIET) 21-5, 21-8
The result of this game was clear after the first few rallies, as Virat outclassed his opponent in every way possible. Anuj couldn’t keep up with the rapid flurry of smashes coming his way. Virat was ruthless, and made quick work of his competition. He won both sets comfortably.

Ashutosh and Tarun (BKBIET) vs Virat and Kshitiz(Venky) 8-21, 5-21

Despite his earlier victory, Ashutosh failed to continue his earlier form in this match. Tarun was clearly the weak link in the team, and was targeted incessantly by Virat and Kshitiz. The duo from Venkateshwara College functioned like a well-oiled machine, displaying impressive coordination in their play. They took an early lead and maintained it till the end. The atmosphere during this match was tense, as supporters of both teams tried their best to out-cheer the other side.

Kshitiz (Venky) vs Aditya (BKBIET) 23-21, NA

The last game of the day was by far the most eventful. Both players were evenly matched and kept each other on their toes throughout the first set. No one seemed to be gaining an edge over the other, and the scores were level until Kshitiz made a shabby attempt to pick up Aditya’s short drop. Aditya was now in an advantageous position and the tension in the room was palpable. It seemed as if it was the end of the game for Kshitiz, but by some force of nature, Aditya slipped up twice, handing the set over to Venkateshwara.  With both teams ready to go another round, the first set ended with 23-21.

The next set began with a furious volley of shots by both sides. Aditya somehow managed to turn the scores in his favour with a two point lead. In his attempt to pick up a wide shot by Kshitiz, Aditya stretched too far and twisted his knee. Though clearly in pain, he decided to come back to finish the game. His commitment to the game was appreciated by all those present in the audience, who gave him a round of applause. Unfortunately, the match was short-lived as Aditya decided to forfeit after another rally. In what was a classic display of sportsmanship, Kshitiz approached his opponent and wished him the best, praising him on a game well played. The game ended on an unsatisfactory note, however, the Venkateshwara squad rejoiced, qualifying further in the tournament.