Rajnajit Tamang of Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) and Dipesh Dhami of Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club set the men’ singles title clash of the eight Pushpa Lal Memorial National Open Badminton Championships on Friday.

Tamang beat fellow Army teammate Rukesh Maharjan 21-11, 21-14 while Dhami dispatched Armyman Nabin Shrestha 21-17, 21-6 in the semi-final matches held at the National Sports Council covered hall.

The women’s singles final will be an all-Army affair after Nangsal Devi Tamang and Rasila Maharjan won their respective semi-final games on Friday. Nangsal eased past Shova Gauchan of APF 21-12, 21-8 while Rasila saw off the defending champion Jessica Gurung of APF 21-13, 21-11.

Rasila is on course for a triple title after also securing her passage to the finals of the U-17 and women’s doubles final. The Army teenager cruised to a 21-9, 21-6 win over Rose Pandey of Morang in the women’ U-17 singles semi-finals while also teaming up with Nangsal Devi to beat Sita Rai of Zest and Samjhana Sharma of Banke 21-11, 21-11 in the women’s doubles semi-finals.

Rasila will take on fellow Army clubmate Ranjana Bhatta, who beat Sima Rajbanshi of Morang 21-16, 21-15 in the other semi-final clash, in the U-17 singles title showdown. Rasila and Nangsal play Puja Shrestha and Jessica Gurung of APF in the women’s doubles final. Puja and Jessica battled to a 21-14, 17-21, 21-13 win over Amita Giri and Anumaya Rai of TAC in the last-four match.

Prince Dahal set the men’s U-17 singles title clash with Diwas Shankar of TAC. Dahal dispatched Priyanshu Singh of Zest 21-12, 21-9 and Shankar overcame Pemba Sherpa of Zest 21-14, 15-21, 21-12 in the semi-finals.

Advancing to the men’s doubles final were Ratnajit and Nabin Shrestha, who beat Army teammates Rukesh Maharjan and Praful Maharjan 21-15, 21-19 on Friday.

The Army duo will play for the title against APF shuttlers Dipesh Dhami and Bijit Thapa Magar, who saw off teammates Gautam Kathayat and Sunil Joshi 21-17, 19-21, 21-18 in the semi-finals.