India Clinches Historic Bronze in Men's Team Badminton at Asian Games 2026
Historic Achievement for Indian Badminton
File image of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty(Photo: @SportsIndia3/X)
Ichinomiya City, Sep 23: India has made history by securing a bronze medal in the men's team badminton event at the 2026 Asian Games. This achievement came after a semifinal match against China, where India faced a 3-1 defeat at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium.
This marks only the second occasion that India has earned a medal in badminton at the Asian Games, with their first being a gold in men's doubles by Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty during the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
Entering the semifinals with strong momentum, India had previously triumphed over Japan in the quarterfinals, marking the country's first-ever medal in the men's team event at the Asian Games. However, the defending champions China presented a significant challenge with their strong singles and doubles teams.
Lakshya Sen was tasked with starting the semifinal against former world champion Shi Yuqi. Despite a valiant effort, Lakshya fell short, losing 16-21, 18-21, which gave China an early lead.
In response, Satwik and Chirag showcased their skills, defeating Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang with a score of 21-11, 22-20, leveling the match.
However, the tide turned again in the third match, where Ayush Shetty faced Li Shifeng, the reigning Asian Games men's singles champion. Ayush fought hard but ultimately lost 21-19, 21-13, leaving China just one win away from the final.
The final match featured M. R. Arjun and Hariharan Amsakarunan against He Ji Ting and Liu Yi. After losing the first game, the Indian duo managed to equalize but ultimately succumbed to a 21-16, 17-21, 21-9 defeat.
China's victory dashed India's hopes of advancing to the final, but the Indian men's team celebrated a historic bronze medal in the team event.
While the men's team achieved this milestone, the women's team was eliminated in the quarterfinals after a 1-3 loss to Japan. With the men's team securing bronze, India's attention will now shift to the individual badminton events, where top players aim to enhance the medal tally.