Sutirtha Mukherjee gave India the perfect start with a commanding 11-4, 11-2, 11-5 victory over Fathimath Dheema Ali
Published: July 28, 2026, 11:31 AM IST
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Indian players arrive during the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships 2026 at Thyagraj Stadium in New Delhi on Monday, July 27, 2026. (Photo: IANS/Deepak Kumar)
India’s women’s team began its campaign at the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships in dominant fashion, defeating the Maldives 3-0 in their Group B opener at the Thyagraj Stadium on Monday. The hosts did not drop a single game as they underlined their status as one of the favourites for the title.
Experienced paddler Sutirtha Mukherjee gave India the perfect start with a commanding 11-4, 11-2, 11-5 victory over Fathimath Dheema Ali. She stayed in control throughout the match, barely allowing her opponent any opportunity to settle into a rhythm.
Yashaswini Ghorpade then extended India’s lead with another straight-games win. The youngster defeated Aishath Rafa Nazim 11-2, 11-5, 11-7, producing a confident display from start to finish. She mixed her attacks well and handled the longer rallies with ease to put India one match away from victory.
Swastika Ghosh wrapped up the contest in equally convincing style. She brushed aside Mishka Mohamed Ibrahim 11-3, 11-5, 11-2 to seal a 3-0 victory for India. The clean sweep ensured the hosts made the ideal start to their Group B campaign and gained early momentum heading into the remaining league matches.
India’s men’s team also enjoyed a comfortable opening day, registering a 3-0 victory over Zimbabwe in their Group A clash.
Commonwealth Games medallist Manav Thakkar set the tone with a dominant 11-3, 11-2, 11-6 win over Taenda Mumvuma. His attacking game and quick movement proved too much for the Zimbabwean as India took an early lead.
Harmeet Desai doubled India’s advantage by defeating Tapiwa Musarurwa 11-5, 11-4, 11-5. The experienced campaigner remained in complete control throughout the contest, keeping the pressure on his opponent with consistent returns and precise placement.
Youngster Payas Jain completed the job with an 11-3, 11-3, 11-8 victory over Vikram Singh. Although Singh put up a better fight in the third game, Jain stayed composed to finish the match in straight games and secure the tie for India.
With both the men’s and women’s teams winning 3-0 without any major trouble, India made an impressive start to the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships.
India squad for Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships 2026
Men’s team: Manav Thakkar, Manush Shah, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Harmeet Desai, Payas Jain
Women’s team: Syndrela Das, Sreeja Akula, Yashaswini Ghorpade, Sutirtha Mukherjee, Swastika Ghosh
Individual and doubles events (men): Manav Thakkar, Manush Shah, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Harmeet Desai, Payas Jain, Ankur Bhattacharji, Ronit Bhanja, Fidel Rafiq, Snehit Suravajjula, Aakash Pal, Jeet Chandra, Himnakul Poenga, Mudit Dani, Jash Modi, Divyansh Srivastav, Tanish Shetty, Reagan Albuquerque
Individual and doubles events (women): Sreeja Akula, Syndrela Das, Yashaswini Ghorpade, Sutirtha Mukherjee, Swastika Ghosh, Tanisha Kotecha, Anusha Kutumbale, Sayali Wani, Divyanshi Bhowmick, Nithyasree Mani, Suhana Saini, Yashini Sivashankar, Kavya Pravin Bhatt, Sayanika Majhi, Madhurika Patkar, Selena Selva Kumar
