Thomas Cup 2026: India Lose 2-3 to China Despite Ayush, Prannoy Wins

India suffered a narrow 2-3 defeat to China in their final Group A tie at the Thomas Cup 2026 in Denmark on Wednesday, finishing second in the group ahead of the knockout stage.

Having already secured qualification with wins over Canada and Australia, the result impacts India’s quarterfinal draw.
👉 India vs Australia – Full Match Report
👉 India vs Canada – Full Match Report

India fell behind early after losing two tightly contested opening matches, and despite a strong fightback, could not overturn the deficit.

China Take Early Control

Lakshya Sen lost the opening singles to Li Shi Feng 19-21, 21-8, 12-21. After a dominant second game, Lakshya was unable to sustain momentum in the decider as China took a 1-0 lead.

Doubles Thriller Goes China’s Way

The doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty then went down in a thriller against Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang. After splitting the first two games, the Indian pair narrowly lost the decider 24-26, putting China 2-0 ahead.

Ayush Keeps India in the Tie

Ayush Shetty kept India alive with a composed comeback win over Weng Hong Yang. After dropping the opening game 17-21, Ayush responded strongly to win 21-13, 21-15 and reduce the deficit to 1-2.

China Seal Tie in Second Doubles

The second doubles proved decisive as Hariharan Amsakarunan and M. R. Arjun fell 17-21, 13-21 to He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu, handing China an unassailable 3-1 lead.

Prannoy Ends on a Positive Note

H. S. Prannoy produced a fighting performance in the final rubber, defeating Lu Guang Zu 20-22, 21-19, 21-11 after a hard-fought three-game battle.

Full Results: China 3-2 India

Li Shi Feng bt. Lakshya Sen — 21-19, 8-21, 21-12
Liang Wei Keng / Wang Chang bt. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy / Chirag Shetty — 21-13, 13-21, 26-24
Ayush Shetty bt. Weng Hong Yang — 17-21, 21-13, 21-15
He Ji Ting / Ren Xiang Yu bt. Hariharan Amsakarunan / M. R. Arjun — 21-17, 21-13
H. S. Prannoy bt. Lu Guang Zu — 20-22, 21-19, 21-11