Manika Batra, Sharath Kamal Won't Attend Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony

Manika Batra and Sharath Kamal begin their Tokyo Olympics campaign on Saturday.

File: India’s Achanta Sharath and Manika Batra during the mixed-double table tennis match against Korea in the 18th Asian Games 2018 in Jakarta on Wednesday.

(Photo: PTI)

At the much-awaited opening ceremony at the Tokyo Olympics on Friday, India’s table tennis players Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra will not be attending as they open their mixed doubles campaign the following day.

The names of both the players were initially on the list of participants for the ceremony but has been withdrawn as it was an error on the part of the Indian officials.

25 members, including 6 officials, from India's contingent will be part of the prestigious opening ceremony at the National Stadium in Tokyo amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tennis player Ankita Raina, Sania Mirza's partner in women's doubles, has been added to the list of athletes who will attend the glittering opening ceremony. She is one of three tennis players in the Indian contingent.

Boxing legend MC Mary Kom and Indian hockey team captain Manpreet Singh are the flag-bearers for the opening ceremony, while the honour goes to Bajrang Punia for the closing ceremony.

India (Indo in Japanese translation) will march in at No 21 out of 205 contingents after Iran.

Archers, shooters, shuttlers, and hockey players (other than Manpreet) among others from the contingent will stay away from the opening ceremony.

2018 Asian Games Bronze medallists Sharath and Manika will open their campaign in the Olympics against the Chinese Taipei pairing of Lin Yun-Ju and Cheng I-Ching.

(With various inputs)