The Indian women's table tennis team, led by Manika Batra, began their Commonwealth Games title defense campaign with a win over South Africa 3-0 in the opening Group Two match on Friday. In the women's doubles match, Sreeja Akula and Reet Tennyson beat South Africa's Laila Edwards and Danisha Patel 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 to give India the lead. After this, defending champion Batra defeated Musfiq Kalam 11-5, 11-3, 11-2 in the first singles match. Batra became the first Indian to win a gold medal in table tennis women's singles category at the last Commonwealth Games. Akula sealed India's victory by beating Patel 11-5, 11-3, 11-6 in the second singles.