It has happened for the first time in 40 years that India assured back-to-back Asian Games team medals in men’s team badminton
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Indian men’s badminton team celebrates after their win over Japan in 2026 Asian Games(Credits: Special arrangement)
Things are getting feisty as the action continues to entice all of us in the on-going 2026 Asian Games at Aichi and NagoyaA couple of medals have been confirmed for the Indian contingent with the men’s badminton becoming the latest to confirm at least a bronze medal after reaching the semi-finals earlier today.
It took a sensational comeback from world number 14 Lakshya Sen to help the Indians outclass hosts Japan in the quarter-finals and although India registered a 3-0 win, it wasn’t necessarily a straightforward oneIn the last Asian Games edition at Hangzhou, the men’s team had returned with a silver medal.
By reaching the semi-finals and confirming a medal today, the men’s team, consisting of Lakshya Sen, Satwik-Chirag and Ayush Shetty, also scripted rare historyIt has happened for the first time in 40 years that India assured back-to-back Asian Games team medals in the sport.
India will await their opponent for the semi-finals, which will take place tomorrow from 11:30AM (IST) onwards.
How India orchestrated the victory over Japan?
Lakshya Sen kicked-off the proceedings with commendable 11-21, 21-5 and 21-9 victory against Kodai Naraoka in the opening singlesFollowing a loss in the opener, Lakshya crawled his way back to win the second game and hand India a 1-0 lead
Then, the pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who have won multiple titles in the on-going season, claimed a 21-18 and 24-22 victory former world champions Hoki Takuro and Kobayashi Yugo to help India extend their lead to 2-0.
Badminton Asia Championships finalist and young sensation Ayush Shetty then saw off world number 16 Koki Watanabe by 21-10 and 21-19 to seal
Ayush Shetty, a finalist at the Badminton Asia Championships this year, then produced an impressive performance to see off world no16 Koki Watanabe 21-10 21-19 to seal the match and a medal for India.
India will now face the winner of the other quarterfinal between defending champions China and Korea in the last four stage tomorrow.
Women’s team suffer exit
Earlier on day three, the Indian women’s team, consisting of PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda and Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand, suffered a heartbreaking exit from the Asian Games after losing 3-1 to hosts Japan in the quarter-finals.
In the singles matches, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and teenager Unnati Hooda lost despite having the lead for most of the timeTreesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand had kept India’s hopes alive with a stunning win over world number 3 pair Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto by 21-16 and 21-17.
However, Tanvi Sharma could not contain the relentless pressure from former world champion Nozomi Okhura who won by 21-12 and 21-10 in the fourth rubberIt meant that India’s wait for a women’s team medal will continue with their last podium finish coming in 2014 at Incheon.
