Badminton Asia Team Championships: Defending champions India endured a turbulent campaign at the Badminton Asia Team Championships as their women’s team finished second in the group stage before bowing out in the quarterfinals, bringing an early end to their title defence.
India Suffers Heartbreak At Badminton Asia Team Championships
India began their Group Y campaign brightly but suffered a 2-3 loss to Thailand in their second group match on Thursday. Despite the defeat, both teams advanced to the knockout stage, with Thailand topping the group.
The Indian challenge started on a positive note as world No. 42 Tanvi Sharma produced a stunning upset, defeating world No. 16 Busanan Ongbamrungphan 21-14, 17-21, 21-18 in a gripping three-game contest that lasted over an hour. The momentum continued when the doubles pair of Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly overcame Tidapron Kleebyeesun and Nattamon Laisuan 21-14, 20-22, 21-11 to give India a commanding 2-0 lead.
However, Thailand mounted an impressive comeback. Rakshitha Sree Ramraj could not maintain her early rhythm and went down to 19-year-old Pitchamon Opatniputh 19-21, 17-21, allowing Thailand to stay alive in the tie. The Thai pair of Hathaithip Mijad and Napapakorn Tungkasatan then edged past Tanisha Crasto and Shruti Mishra in three games, 21-19, 14-21, 15-21, to level the contest.
In the decisive fifth rubber, Malvika Bansod was unable to halt Thailand’s surge, losing 18-21, 14-21 to Pornpicha Choeikeewong as Thailand sealed the tie and finished atop Group Y.
India’s campaign came to a disappointing end in the quarterfinals on Friday, where they suffered a 0-3 defeat to a second-string Chinese side in Qingdao. The loss marked the end of India’s historic title defence, having won their maiden gold medal in the previous edition in 2024.
The absence of talismanic shuttler PV Sindhu due to a niggle was keenly felt as India struggled to match China’s depth and discipline. Tanvi Sharma, who had impressed earlier in the tournament with two singles wins, failed to provide a strong start in the opening match, losing 9-21, 9-21 to world No. 10 Gao Fang Jie.
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The doubles duo of Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly put up a spirited fight against world No. 4 pairing Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian but fell short in crucial moments, going down 22-24, 18-21. Despite recovering from a 10-16 deficit in the opening game and holding a mid-game lead in the second, the Indian pair could not convert their chances.
Rakshitha Ramraj showed flashes of brilliance in the third match, playing at a blistering pace and displaying impressive retrieval skills against fellow teenager Xu Wenjing. After taking the opening game, Rakshitha fought back from a 3-11 deficit in the second to nearly force a decider, before eventually losing 21-14, 15-21, 17-21. Despite her spirited effort, untimely errors at critical junctures proved costly as China closed out the tie.
India’s 0-3 defeat underscored the challenge of defending their crown against Asia’s elite, but the performances of young players like Tanvi and Rakshitha offered glimpses of promise for the future.
The Badminton Asia Team Championships also serve as the continental qualifying event for the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals, scheduled to be held in Horsens, Denmark, in April–May.
