The Indian men’s badminton team reminded its fans of 2022 as they broke into grand celebrations after Ayush Shetty’s win against All England champion Lin Chun-Yi took them into the semifinals of the Thomas Cup, four years after they had lifted the title.
Lakshya Sen and the men’s doubles duo of Satwik-Chirag gave India a massive early boost with two hard-fought wins against their opponents from Chinese Taipei, and the icing on the cake was Ayush’s performance.
Ayush produced a composed yet attacking display to outplay Lin, who appeared below full fitness while managing a leg injury, with heavy strapping visible.
As soon as Lin’s shot landed outside the court, Ayush broke into celebrations and soon his teammates joined in, as they celebrated while
jumping in a huddle. Watch the video here:
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Earlier in the day, Lakshya pulled off a thrilling win against Chou Tien-Chen. Having lost the first game, a close 18-21, he managed to snatch the second 22-20 and pushed the match into a decider.
Lakshya put up a more comprehensive performance in the final game as he won it 21-17 to give India a crucial 1-0 lead in the five-match tie.
Next up were Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who were facing the pair of Chiu Hsiang-Chieh and Wang Chi-Lin. Their match followed a similar trajectory to Lakshya’s.
Satwik-Chirag won the first game, a close 23-21, only to lose the second 19-21. But the duo put up a comprehensive performance in the decider to outdo their opponents 21-12 and give India a comfortable 2-0 lead.
After dropping the first game 16-21, Lin attempted a late fightback against Ayush, closing the gap to 16-19. But the latter stayed composed in the crucial moments, earning several match points and sealing the contest when his opponent sent one long.
As the winning point was bagged, the Indian teammates rushed onto the court, forming a tight huddle before breaking into celebratory circles, capturing the emotion of the moment.
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