Indian junior girls showed nerve of steel to pull off a thrilling 3-2 upset over Chinese Taipei and storm into the semifinal of the Asian Junior Table Tennis Championship in Kitakyushu, Japan [ Images ].

India's [ Images ] win against the fourth seed Chinese Taipei not only ensured their maiden semifinal appearance in the event but also earned them a spot for the World Junior Table Tennis Championships in Cairo.

India will play China on Thursday for a place in the finals.

Shamini Kumaresan and Delhi's [ Images ] Neha Agarwal were the architects of the Indian victory. Shamini won two matches while Neha played with patience to clinch the decider.

India started on a losing note as Neha went down 11-8, 6-11, 8-11, 7-11 in the first match against Cheng I Cheng.

Shamini then leveled the tie with a 11-7, 5-11, 11-9, 11-9 win over Yuszu Pei.

Ashlesha Bodas lost the third match to Hsiung Mei 7-11, 16-14, 7-11, 5-11 and the scale tilted in Chinese Taipei's favour but Shamini had other ideas.

Shamini won the close encounter against Cheng to raise hopes in Indian camps. She prevailed 11-7, 5-11, 11-9, 11-7 to put the onus on Neha in the crucial last match.

Neha displayed a gutsy performance to beat Yuszu Pei 11-4, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7 and romp home.

"The pressure was there but we had played them (Chinese Taipei) before in the Indian Open and know about their strength and weakness. So I just kept my focus in the last match," Neha told PTI from Kitakyushu.

The boys' team had bowed out of the championship after losing to Japan in the quarterfinal.