New Delhi: India has marched into the Thomas Cup 2026 semi-finals with a commanding 3-0 sweep of Chinese Taipei, securing their fifth medal in the men’s team badminton championship.
Lakshya Sen set the tone in a pulsating opener against World No. 6 Chou Tien Chen, recovering from two match points down in the second game to win 18-21, 22-20, 21-17 in a gruelling 88-minute battle. The 24-year-old’s composure under pressure proved to be the defining moment of the tie.
Doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty kept the momentum going, edging Wang Chi-lin and Chiu Hsiang Chieh 23-21, 19-21, 21-12 in 75 minutes after saving two game points in the opener, according to reports.
Ayush Shetty then sealed the win with a confident 21-16, 21-17 victory over All England Open champion Lin Chun-yi, overcoming an early deficit to close out in 48 minutes. India, the 2022 champions, will face either Japan or France in Saturday’s semifinals.
