India, Dec. 5 -- Mumbai Smashers got off the mark with a timely win in the Indian Pickleball League to keep their knockout hopes alive on Friday. A 4-2 victory over Capital Warriors Gurgaon set the tone, before Hyderabad Royals battled back to hold Bengaluru Blasters to a 3-3 draw.

World No.3 Quang Duong set Mumbai off with a ruthless 15-1 demolition of Arik Badami, but Gurgaon hit back with Stavya Bhasin and Jack Munro winning the men's doubles 15-9.

Allison Harris then steadied Mumbai with a 15-11 win after surviving an Emilia Schmidt fightback, but Schmidt and Naimi Mehta dragged Gurgaon level again with a 15-12 women's doubles victory. Mumbai then won the Grand Rally 21-18 win to seal their first victory of the season.

Bengaluru Bl...