New Delhi: India produced a strong response in the men’s badminton team semifinal against China at the Asian Games, with Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeating Wang Chang and Liang Weikeng to level the tie at 1-1.
The Indian pair delivered a composed performance against the Chinese combination, keeping India alive in the contest after Lakshya Sen lost the opening match to world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi.
Shi controlled the first game against Lakshya and secured a 21-16, 21-18 victory to give China an early advantage. Lakshya fought hard in the second game but could not force the contest into a decider.
Satwik and Chirag then took centre stage in the doubles match. The Indian duo maintained their composure during the crucial exchanges and secured a straight game victory over Wang and Liang, bringing the semifinal back to level terms.
India entered the semifinal after assuring themselves of a medal with a victory over Japan in the quarterfinals. The team is also seeking to settle the disappointment of the previous Asian Games, where China defeated India 3-2 in the final at Hangzhou to retain the men’s team title.
India had entered the knockout stage with strong momentum after a dominant quarterfinal campaign. Lakshya, Satwik and Chirag, along with Ayush Shetty, had produced important victories to help India advance.
With the score tied at 1-1, the semifinal moved into its decisive stages, with both teams needing further victories to secure a place in the final.
The Indian team is chasing its first Asian Games men’s team badminton gold, while China remains one of the strongest forces in the competition. The remaining matches will determine which side advances to the gold medal contest.
