In a tightly-contested group (A), both China and Chinese Taipei have made light work of a strong Hong Kong unit to book their spots in the quarter-final of the inaugural Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships.
The two teams will now battle it out between themselves in their final tie of the group stages to decide who among them will head into the next stage with maximum points. Top seed China are looking favourites after their 5-0 thrashing of Hong Kong on the opening day of the tournament.
Last season's Korea Open winner Qiao Bin began the new season on a high by decimating Hong Kong's Vincent Ki Wong in his opening match. Despite the absence of top-ranked shuttlers - Chen Long, Lin Dan and Li Xuerui - China have in-form players to lead their singles campaign in the ongoing tournament.
Match: China v Chinese Taipei
Date: 16 February, Thursday
Time: 2pm SGT/11:30am IST/6am GMT
Competition: Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships 2017
Venue: Main Location 3, Nguyen Du Cultural Sport Club, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
TV Channel: There is no live TV coverage of the tie in Singapore.
Live scores of the tie can be found here.
Reigning junior world champion Chen Yufei is representing the Asian giants in Women's singles and she made light work of world number 25 Yip Pui Yin on Tuesday.
China's trump card in the ongoing tournament is their Women's doubles pair of Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan, who finished 2016 with the World Superseries Finals title in Dubai and began the ongoing season with Thailand Masters glory. Taiwan's Hsu Ya Ching and Wu Ti Jung have an uphill task against the in-form Chinese pair.
On the other hand, Men's singles' world number nine Chou Tien Chen, who outclassed Hong Kong Open 2016 winner Ng Ka Long, in the opening tie will start as favourite against China's Bin. Women's singles shuttler Chiang Mei Hui, who stunned world number 15 Cheung Ngan Yi, will be hoping for another win on Thursday but she will have to be at her best against Yufei.
Team News
China
Possible Line-up: Qiao Bin (MS), Chen Yufei (WS), Li Junhui/Liu Yuchen (MD), Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan (WD), Li Yinhui/Zhang Nan (XD)
Chinese Taipei
Possible Line-up: Chou Tien Chen (MS), Chian Mei Hui (WS), Jhe Huei Lee/Yang Lee (MD), Hsu Ya Ching/Wu Ti Jung (WD), Chia Hsin Lee/Chi Lin Wang (XD)
TV Schedule [Available from quarter-final]
Singapore: Eleven Sports
Malaysia: Astro Supersport 4
India: Star Sports
