India women shuttlers’ dream run continued as they progressed to their first-ever final at the badminton Asia Team Championships after edging out two-time former champions Japan 3-2 in a thrilling semi-final here on Saturday.

World No. 23 pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, world No. 53 Ashmita Chaliha and the 17-year-old Anmol Kharb registered stunning wins in the first doubles and second and deciding singles to take India through to the summit clash.

India will face Thailand in the final on Sunday.

Sindhu couldn’t produce her best against the left-handed Aya Ohori, going down 13-21, 20-22 in the first singles to peg India back.

Treesa and Gayatri, playing the first doubles, defeated world No. 6 Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida 21-17, 16-21, 22-20 in a 73-minute contest as India drew level at 1-1.

Up against former world champion Nozomi Okuhara, who is currently ranked world No. 20, the left-handed Ashmita recorded a 21-17, 21-14 win to hand India a 2-1 lead.

Sindhu then paired up with Ashwini Ponnappa but they couldn’t get across the world No. 11 pair of Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakuramoto, losing 14-21, 11-21 in 43 minutes.

With the five-match rubber evenly poised at 2-2, Anmol was handed the responsibility of taming world No. 29 Natsuki Nidaira and she lived up to the expectation, claiming a 21-14, 21-18 win in 52 minutes.