India national badminton team put on a clinical show to blank Chinese Taipei national badminton team 3-0 in the quarterfinals on Friday, May 1, cruising into the semifinals of the Thomas Cup 2026.
Lakshya delivers under pressure
Lakshya Sen handed India the early advantage with a hard-fought 18-21, 22-20, 21-17 comeback win over Chou Tien-chen. With their rivalry evenly poised, the match turned into a gripping battle. Sen showed nerves of steel, bouncing back from 14-17 in the second game and saving two match points to force a decider after dropping the opener.
He carried that momentum into the third, dictating rallies with controlled aggression to seal the opener and give India a 1-0 lead.
Satwik-Chirag take control
The star doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty then extended the lead to 2-0 with a 23-21, 19-21, 21-12 win over Chiu Hsiang Chieh and Wang Chi-Lin.
The Indians combined sharp net play with explosive smashes, edging a tight first game before bouncing back strongly in the decider to assert their dominance and move India within touching distance of victory.
Ayush finishes the job
Ayush Shetty sealed the tie in style, defeating Lin Chun-yi 21-16, 21-17 in 48 minutes.
The 20-year-old overturned a mid-game deficit in the opener with a seven-point surge and never let the advantage slip, showcasing composure and maturity beyond his years.
With a commanding 3-0 triumph, India advance to the semifinals, where they will face the winner of the tie between France and Japan.
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