India began their Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships 2024 campaign in dominant fashion, securing a 5-0 victory over Macau in their opening match on Wednesday. The Indian contingent, led by top-ranked shuttlers, showed their depth and strength across all categories to storm into the quarterfinals.
The mixed doubles duo of Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Aadya Variyath, fresh off their National Games gold medal win, set the tone for India with a commanding 21-10, 21-9 triumph over Iok Chong Leong and Weng Chi Ng. Their swift victory gave India an early 1-0 lead.
In men’s singles, Lakshya Sen, a 2021 World Championships bronze medallist, continued India’s dominance, outclassing Pang Fong Pui 21-16, 21-12. Sen’s clinical performance put India 2-0 ahead, leaving them just one win away from sealing the tie.
That decisive win came from Malvika Bansod, the 2024 Hylo Open finalist, who delivered a strong 21-15, 21-9 victory over Hao Wai Chan in the women’s singles match. Bansod’s triumph officially confirmed India’s victory in the tie at 3-0.
In men’s doubles, M.R. Arjun and Chirag Shetty fought off a tough challenge from Chin Pon Pui and Kok Wen Vong, ultimately securing a 21-15, 21-19 win.
India’s world number 9 women’s doubles pair, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, wrapped up the match with a crushing 21-10, 21-5 demolition of NG Weng Chi and Pui Chi Wa, sealing India’s 5-0 clean sweep over Macau.
With this commanding victory, India has secured a quarterfinal berth. However, their next challenge is a crucial group-stage decider against Korea on Thursday, which will determine the group winner.
While India has never won gold at the Asia Mixed Team Championships, they have a strong history in team events. Notably, they secured gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, silver in 2022, and clinched their historic first-ever Thomas Cup gold in 2022. More recently, they bagged silver at the 2024 Badminton Asia Team Championships in Malaysia and a men’s team silver at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
To advance further in the tournament and compete for a medal, India will need to maintain their strong form and deliver exceptional performances in the knockout rounds. Their next battle against Korea will be a key test of their championship credentials.
