India Dominates Australia 5-0 to Reach Thomas Cup Quarterfinals
India Secures Quarterfinal Spot
File image of Indian veteran player Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (right) and Chirag Shetty(left) (photo: X)
Horsens, April 27: In a commanding performance, India triumphed over Australia with a score of 5-0 in the men’s Group A match, securing their place in the quarterfinals of the Thomas & Uber Cup 2026.
Understanding the importance of a win against Australia for advancing, India made a single adjustment to the lineup that previously defeated Canada, bringing HS Prannoy in for Kidambi Srikanth.
Lakshya Sen initiated the team's success with a solid victory, defeating Ephraim Stephen Sam 21-14, 21-16, followed by Ayush Shetty, who overwhelmed Shrey Dhand 21-8, 21-6 in just 26 minutes.
The duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty then confirmed the team's victory by beating Rizky Hidayat and Jack Yu 21-14, 21-16.
HS Prannoy and the men's doubles team of Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun completed the clean sweep with their respective wins.
Previously, India had secured a 4-1 victory against Canada in their opening group match and will now face top-seeded China to determine the group winner. China also achieved a 5-0 victory over Australia and a 4-1 win against Canada on the same day.
The upcoming match against China will be crucial, as it will decide the group leader on Thursday.
India made history by clinching the Thomas Cup title in 2022, marking their first championship by defeating Indonesia in the final, showcasing their emergence as a formidable force in men's team badminton.
Result:
Men: India beat Australia 5-0 (Lakshya Sen bt Ephraim Stephen Sam 21-14, 21-16; Ayush Shetty bt Shrey Dhand 21-8, 21-6; Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty bt Rizky Hidayat/Jack Yu 21-14, 21-16; HS Prannoy bt Rishi Honda Boopathy 21-11, 21-17; Hariharan Amsakarunan/MR Arjun bt Andika Ramadiansyah/Sam 21-12, 21-10)