Koo-Tan playing for China

The world's riches badminton tournament, the Indian Badminton League (IBL) has begun, and Malaysia's Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong are now representing China.

The USD1 million league did not get off to a good start, with organisation issues and delays to the opening ceremony taking the shine off the event.

In addition, the guide book provided to the media listed Kien Keat and Boon Heong as players from China instead of Malaysia. Guess Kien Keat's wish to play for China after the BWF World Championships failure came true, sort of.

Taiwan's Tai Tzu Ying was also listed as a player from China.

The problems does not stop there, as volunteers are not briefed on what to do, and the media were left stranded without proper arrangements to allocate an area for them to work with.

Six teams will compete in the inaugral IBL, with Krrish Delhi Smashers and Pune Pistons locking horns on the first day.

Delhi’s coach, Rashid Sidek has three Malaysian players at his disposal - Liew Daren, Tan Boon Heong and Koo Kien Keat, while another Malaysian, Tan Wee Kiong is playing for Pune Pistons.

Delhi won two games, namely the men's doubles, Tan Boon Hoeng and Koo Kien Keat gave their team a 2-1 lead by beating Pune's Rupesh Kumar and Sanave Thomas 21-13, 21-16 and Sai Praneeth gave Delhi a winning start in the opening tie of men's singles against Pune's Tien Minh Nyugen, beating 21-16, 21-20.

Pune Piston won three games making them the winner in the first fixture, women's singles' Juliane Schenk beat Nichaon Jindapon 21-15, 21-6, Saurabh Verma thumped Delhi’s H.S. Prannoy in the men's singles and mixed doubles pair Joachiam Fischer Nielsen-Ashwini Ponappa smashed out Koo Kien Kiat-Jwala Gutta 21-19, 16-21 and 11-3.

Today, Hyderabad Hotshots would play against Awadhe Warriors, while Bangs Beats versus Mumbai Masters.

It is still unknown if Lee Chong Wei, who was bought by Mumbai Masters would be playing tomorrow after his injury in Guangzhou, China.

Indian media reported that Chong Wei was supposed to arrive in New Delhi on Wednesday for the IBL opening ceremony but his travel schedule was delayed.

"Lee Chong Wei is supposed to come on Thursday. Whether he will play in the tournament or not, we do not know," Indo-Asian News Service quoted Mumbai Masters co-owner V. Chamundeshwarnath as saying. 

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