Ayush Shetty Shines While Lakshya Sen Exits Early at Badminton Asia Championships

The Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo saw Ayush Shetty achieve a stunning victory against World No. 7 Li Shi Feng, while Lakshya Sen faced an early exit. Despite high hopes for medals, India's performance was mixed, with other players also struggling. The competition continues as Ayush prepares for his next match against Chi Yu Jen from Chinese Taipei. Read on for a detailed overview of the matches and upcoming challenges for Indian players.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 8, 2026, 13:31 IST

Exciting Upsets and Early Exits at the Championships

In a surprising turn of events at the Badminton Asia Championships held in Ningbo, China, on April 8, young talent Ayush Shetty delivered a remarkable performance by defeating World No. 7 Li Shi Feng from China in straight sets, with scores of 21-13 and 21-16, during the Round of 32. Meanwhile, Lakshya Sen, who was anticipated to be a strong contender for a medal, faced an unfortunate first-round elimination after losing to Lee Cheuk Yiu from Hong Kong with a score of 12-21, 19-21 in a match that lasted 41 minutes.

Ayush, the US Open Super 300 champion, showcased his resilience by coming from behind in both games to secure his place in the pre-quarterfinals. In the first game, the 20-year-old Indian player initially fell behind but managed to equalize at 4-4. After a tight contest until 7-7, he took control and dominated the game, finishing it at 21-13.

The second game mirrored the first, with Li applying pressure early on. However, Ayush leveled the score multiple times before taking charge at 13-13, ultimately winning six consecutive points to close the match at 21-16 after 51 minutes. He is set to face Chi Yu Jen from Chinese Taipei in the next round.

On the women's side, Malvika Bansod also exited in the Round of 32, losing to Busanan Ongbamrungphan from Thailand in straight games, with scores of 10-21, 19-21. Lakshya's defeat is a significant setback for India's aspirations for medals, marking his fourth consecutive first-round exit at the Asian Championships. Despite high expectations following his runner-up finish at the All England Open, he has struggled at this event, never advancing past the first round in its $550,000 history. This is a stark contrast to his earlier successes at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships, where he secured a bronze in 2016 and a gold in 2018.

India's other male competitors, Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy, are scheduled to compete later against Loh Kean Yew and Nguyen Hai Dang, respectively. In women's doubles, Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi faced a tough match against World No. 9 duo Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min, losing 9-21, 8-21 in the Round of 32.

In a positive note for India, the top mixed doubles team of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto began their campaign successfully, defeating Thailand's Phuwanat Horbanluekit and Benyapa Aimsaard with scores of 21-14, 11-21, 21-15. They will now face a challenging Round of 16 match against Malaysia's Cheng Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, who currently lead their head-to-head record 2-0.