Kidambi Srikanth Delivers Under Pressure as Indian Men Edge Singapore in Thriller
In a nail-biting Group C encounter at the Badminton Asia Team Championships 2026 in Qingdao, China, the Indian men's team secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Singapore on Wednesday, with veteran star Kidambi Srikanth playing the decisive role in the final match. The former World No. 1, currently ranked 34th globally, displayed clinical precision to defeat Jia Wei Joel Koh 21-15, 21-16 in the third men's singles, ensuring India avoided an upset before their crucial tie against favorites Japan.
Men's Team Battle Goes Down to the Wire
The men's match witnessed intense competition from the start. Lakshya Sen faced a tough challenge against former world champion Loh Kean Yew, ultimately falling 21-16, 19-21, 21-16 in what proved to be the most competitive contest of the tie. However, the world-class doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty quickly restored balance with a dominant 21-10, 21-8 victory over Eng Keat Wesley Koh and Junsuke Kubo.
Ayush Shetty then gave India the lead by defeating Jia Heng Jason Teh 21-17, 21-15 in straight games. The second doubles combination of Pruthvi Roy and K Sai Pratheek came agonizingly close to sealing the match, winning the opening game 21-8 before narrowly losing 21-23, 20-22 in the subsequent games against Nge Joo Jie and Donovan Willard Wee.
This set the stage for Srikanth's heroics. The experienced campaigner, determined to prove his continued relevance on the international circuit, controlled the match from start to finish against Koh, showcasing his trademark attacking play and court coverage to secure the vital win.
Women's Team Dominates Myanmar in Convincing Fashion
Earlier in the day, the defending champion Indian women's team delivered a commanding performance against Myanmar, sweeping all five matches without dropping a single game. World junior championship silver medallist Tanvi Sharma set the tone with a comprehensive 21-13, 21-16 victory over Thet Htar Thuzar in the opening singles match.
The team maintained this momentum throughout the encounter, with Rakshitha Sree defeating Eaint Chit Phoo 21-12, 21-6, and Malvika Bansod overpowering Lin Lin Htet 21-9, 21-12 in the remaining singles matches. The doubles pairs continued the dominance, with Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra beating Su Latt and Thuzar 21-15, 21-16, while Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand completed the whitewash with a 21-8, 21-6 victory over Htet and Phoo.
Quarterfinal Berths Secured, Group Titles Up for Grabs
With these victories, both Indian teams have assured themselves of quarterfinal spots at the prestigious continental championship. However, the top positions in their respective groups remain undecided, setting up crucial matches on Thursday.
The men's team will face tournament favorites Japan in what promises to be a decisive encounter for Group C supremacy. Meanwhile, the women's team prepares for a challenging clash against Thailand to determine the Group Y winner.
Tanvi Sharma, who has shown impressive form this year with close matches against top-10 players on the world tour, will face world No. 16 Busanan Ongbamrungphan in what could be a critical opening match. Young Rakshitha Sree will also encounter a stern test against former junior world champion Pitchamon Opatniputh in the second singles tie.
India remains confident in both doubles matches, with the added insurance of Malvika Bansod potentially playing the decider against world No. 69 Pornpicha Choeikeewong. The left-handed Bansod, making a comeback from a long injury layoff, would enter this matchup as the favorite based on current form and experience.
The Badminton Asia Team Championships 2026 continues to showcase India's growing depth in both men's and women's badminton, with established stars like Srikanth delivering when it matters most and emerging talents like Tanvi Sharma demonstrating their potential on the continental stage.
