In 2010 Singapore produced one of the biggest shocks in the history of the women's game when beating China to win the World Championships in Moscow, but this time they were on the receiving end. 

Batra, the world number 58 who twiddles her bat mid-point to use both sides to generate different spins, recovered from 2-1 down against world number four and two-time defending singles champion Feng Tianwei to win 3-2 in the opener.

She then returned to the table to overpower Zhou Yihan in three straight sets in what proved to be the final match.

Yu Mengyu had beaten Madhurika Patkar 3-0 to briefly level the scores but a 3-1 victory for Patkar and Mouma Das over Zhou and Yu in the doubles proved key.

It was then left to the brilliant Batra to complete the job in style.

Singapore, whose squad was largely made-up of Chinese-born imports, have won the team event on all four occasions it has been held at the Commonwealth Games since a debut appearance at Manchester 2002.

Li Chunli of New Zealand's singles victory at Manchester is the only time that Singapore have ever lost a women's singles, doubles or team event since.

It did mark the country's first medal of Gold Coast 2018, but that will be a scant consolation.

Feng, the London 2012 Olympic singles bronze medallist, had never lost a singles encounter at the Commonwealth Games before.

The only disappointment tonight was the high number of empty seats after a rush for the exits following an equally dramatic bronze medal match.

England secured a 3-1 victory over Australia to win their first-ever medal in the women's team event.

Tin Tin Ho was the hero once again for England as she battled to two 3-2 singles victories over Melissa Tapper and Miao Miao. 

Kelly Sibley and Maria Tsaptsinos also won the doubles 3-1 against Miao and Jain Fang Lay.

But the real drama came in the fourth match when Miao, a 37-year-old veteran of four Olympics, was reduced to tears when adjudged to have time-wasted at a key moment in the third set against Ho.

She had to then call a time-out to compose herself before winning the fourth set, only to lose the fifth against her 19-year-old opponent.

India and Singapore will lock horns again in the men's semi-final tomorrow.

Nigeria will face England in the other half of the draw, with the only question mark surrounding the condition of Nigeria's Olympic singles quarter-finallist and key world number 26 Quadri Aruna - the likely top seed for the men's singles - after he only arrived in Gold Coast today due to travelling to Russia for a Champions League semi-final for his Portuguese club on Friday (April 6).

He did not play in their quarter-final win over the host nation yesterday.