Diminutive Sreeja Akula and bespectacled Manav Thakkar produced contrasting yet equally influential performances as India’s women and men marched into the team finals of the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex on Wednesday.

Both the teams outclassed England in their respective semifinals to set up title clashes against giant-killer Malaysia on Thursday.

The afternoon session began with the Indian women taking centre stage before a vocal group of schoolchildren cheering the home side. Sreeja, blending her long-pimpled backhand with explosive forehand topspin winners, barely broke sweat in dispatching Cheuk Wong to hand India the perfect start.

England responded through the experienced Tin-Tin Ho. Armed with her distinctive pen-hold grip and an uncanny ability to effectively use her backhand, Ho never allowed Yashaswini Ghorpade to settle into a rhythm and levelled the tie with a commanding win.

Teenager Syndrela Das restored India’s advantage with another composed display before Sreeja returned for the decisive fourth rubber. Her duel with Ho turned out to be the contest of the tie, featuring engrossing rallies and relentless changes in momentum. Sreeja held her nerve in the crunch moments, edging a gripping five-game battle to seal the place in the final.

Moments after the women exchanged handshakes, the men’s teams walked onto the show court. While Manush Shah’s opening rubber against Connor Green provided the early entertainment, it was Manav who earned widespread admiration.

Less than 24 hours after sustaining a deep cut to his forehead, against Australia, that required 13 stitches, Manav showed little sign of discomfort. Refusing to let the injury disrupt his rhythm, Manav produced another commanding display as India completed a 3-0 sweep without conceding a game.

The victory sets up a mouth-watering rematch against Malaysia, with the Indian men eager to avenge the surprise defeat they suffered in the league stage.

The results (semifinals): Women: India bt England 3-1 (Sreeja Akula bt Cheuk Lam Jasmin Wong 11-6, 11-3, 11-9; Yashaswini Ghorpade lost to Tin-Tin Ho 9-11, 6-11, 7-11; Syndrela Das bt Anna Green 11-7, 11-4, 11-9; Sreeja bt Ho 11-8, 5-11, 11-6, 8-11; 11-9). Malaysia bt Australia 3-2.

Men: India bt England 3-0 (Manush Shah bt Connor Green11-9, 11-9, 11-6; Manav Thakkar bt Joseph Hunter 11-8, 11-4, 11-5; Harmeet Desai bt Benjamin Piggott 11-5, 11-5, 11-5). Malaysia bt Singapore 3-1.