With eye on UTT 2024 knockouts, Chennai Lions, Puneri Paltan TT face off in must-win affair

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 2 : As the race to the Ultimate Table Tennis 2024 heats up, former champions Chennai Lions will be banking on World Number 38 Achanta Sharath Kamal's experience to pull them back into contention for the top-four when the tournament hosts take on Puneri Paltan Table Tennis in their final league stage tie at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Tuesday.
Fresh from a resounding 9-6 victory in their previous tie against Jaipur Patriots on Sunday, the Puneri Paltan Table Tennis got themselves back into contention for a potential knockout spot and the team will be expected to punch above their weight when they run into the star-studded Chennai-based outfit in their final league contest.
The Puneri Paltan Table Tennis currently find themselves at the sixth spot on the leaderboard with 28 points after winning two ties of their four. On the other hand, Chennai Lions are placed one rung down at the penultimate spot with 25 points from their four ties. As a result, one can expect a cracker of a contest with both sides boasting a number of players capable of turning the tide in favour of their respective teams.
While the Pune-based outfit will be banking on the young shoulders of teenaged sensation Ankur Bhattacharya, and the crafty Ayhika Mukherjee, the Chennai Lions will be pinning their hopes on the experience of the legendary Achanta Sharath Kamal, alongside the likes of the gutsy Sakura Mori of Japan, and the veteran Mouma Das, who made an impressive comeback into the tournament in their previous encounter against defending champions Athlead Goa Challengers.
Squads:
Chennai Lions: Achanta Sharath Kamal, Sakura Mori (Japan), Jules Rolland (France), Poymantee Baisya, Mouma Das, Abhinandh PB
Puneri Paltan Table Tennis: Ayhika Mukherjee, Natalia Bajor (Poland), Joao Monteiro (Portugal), Ankur Bhattacharjee, Anirban Ghosh, Yashini Sivashankar.