Asian Games 2026: India's Dsouza and Beg qualify for Teqball bronze medal match
India’s Quimcy Joaquim Dsouza and Mohamed Anas Imran Beg have kept their hopes for an Asian Games medal alive. The duo secured a spot in the bronze medal match after a decisive victory in the Teqball mixed doubles repechage on Friday in Nagoya, Japan.
Facing the Philippines' duo of Abulencia Jhoana and Agustin Prince, the Indian pair delivered a commanding performance. The Indian duo won the match in straight sets, moving them one step closer to a podium finish at the 2026 Asian Games.
Dominant repechage victory
The Indian pair controlled the tempo of the match from the very beginning. They dominated the first set of the repechage with a convincing 12–3 scoreline, leaving their opponents with little room to breathe.
While the Philippines attempted to mount a comeback, the Indian duo remained composed. They secured the second set 12–6, completing a 2–0 victory that ensures they will continue their pursuit of a medal on Sunday.
Previous setbacks in the tournament
This successful repechage run comes after a challenging quarter-final encounter for the Indian pair. Earlier in the tournament, Dsouza and Beg faced Vietnam’s Gian Nghi Trinh and Hoang Minh Tan Nguyen in the mixed doubles quarter-finals.
In that high-stakes match, the Indian duo struggled to find their rhythm during the opening set, losing it 12–7. Although they showed much greater resistance in the second set, they were unable to force a deciding game, ultimately losing that set 12–10.
The defeat in the quarter-finals ended their participation in the main championship bracket, ruling them out of contention for gold or silver medals. However, their victory in the repechage ensures they remain in the hunt for bronze.
A difficult road through the group stage
Getting to the knockout stages was no easy feat for the Indian pair, who had to endure a grueling preliminary round-robin campaign. They finished the group stage with a balanced record of two victories and two defeats across four matches.
Their journey through Group A was marked by both strong starts and narrow losses:
They opened with a dominant 2–0 win over the Philippines' Abuencia Jhoana and Agustin Prince.
They suffered a narrow 1–2 defeat against Cambodia’s Bun Thuonvireak and Yorn Sophornraksmy in a close three-set battle.
They lost their third fixture 0–2 to Thailand’s Dejaroen Phakpong and Wongkhamadi Suphawadi.
With qualification on the line, India responded emphatically against Kuwait’s Alebraheem Salman and Alfailakawi Hessah. They controlled that final group match from the start, winning the first set 12–1 and the second 12–6 to secure their place in the quarter-finals.
Dsouza's individual campaign
While the mixed doubles focus remains on the upcoming bronze medal match, Quimcy Joaquim Dsouza has significant individual ambitions. Dsouza is also competing in the women’s singles event of the tournament.
She has had an impressive run in the singles category, topping Group A after securing crucial wins against opponents from Japan and Cambodia. Dsouza is scheduled to face Indonesia’s Sumaya in the semi-final on Saturday.