New Delhi: Making most of the Chinese absence and getting its direct entry into the eight-team main draw of the 2021 ITTF-ATTU Asian Championships, Team India ensured a bronze medal at Doha Wednesday night.

For Team India, it would be their first-ever medal in the Asian Championships, who had made it to the Champions Division after their stellar showing in the last edition.

The Indian paddlers defeated their counterparts from Iran 3-1 in the quarterfinals as ace paddler Indian A. Sharath Kamal led the way. Sharath, who opened the first match of the rubber, downed Nima Alamiyan 11-9, 6-11, 11-9, 11-5 to put India 1-0 up. Though the world No. 33 began well, he dropped the next before picking up steam to roll past Alamiyan.

In the next outing, G. Sathiyan, ranked No. 38 in the world, Noshad Alamiyan (No. 74) 11-7, 11-6, 6-11, 11-6. But in the next rubber, Harmeet Desai lost to Amir Hossein Hodaei 8-11, 7-11, 11-8, 14-12, 7-11. The fiercely-fought rubber saw fortunes fluctuating from one extreme to another but the Iranian held the whip to reduce the margin.    

However, in his reverse singles, Sharath sealed the fate of Iran, beating Noshad 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9 to ensure India its first medal.

The Indians will take on the winners of the South Korea-Hong Kong match on Friday.