India Men's Squash Team Clinches Bronze at Asian Games
India's men's squash team secures a bronze medal at the Asian Games 2026 after a hard-fought semifinal battle against Malaysia.
The India men's squash team wins bronze at the Asian Games 2026, following a gripping semifinal encounter against Malaysia. Despite a valiant effort to fight back after an early setback, the Indian squad ultimately fell 1-2 in a high-stakes tie on Thursday.
A Rollercoaster Semifinal Battle
The semifinal match was a see-saw affair that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. The contest began on a difficult note for India as Abhay Singh struggled to find his rhythm against Malaysia's Ng Eain Yo. Singh lost the opening round in straight games, with scores reading 8-11, 8-11, and 8-11.
However, the momentum shifted when Veer Chotrani stepped onto the court. Chotrani delivered a commanding performance to level the tie for India, defeating Malaysia's Sanjay Jeeva in straight sets. Chotrani's dominance was evident as he took the first game 11-4, the second 11-8, and completed the comeback with an 11-5 victory in the third game.
The Decider: A Marathon Contest
With the tie deadlocked at 1-1, the responsibility fell on Velavan Senthilkumar to face Malaysia's Ameeshanraj Chandaran in a decisive match. The encounter turned into a grueling marathon of endurance and skill.
Senthilkumar showed immense grit, recovering from a 7-9 deficit to snatch the first game 12-10 after several exhausting rallies. The Malaysian side, however, refused to buckle. Ameeshanraj responded with a clinical 11-6 win in the second game to level the match. The momentum stayed with Malaysia as Ameeshanraj won the third game 11-8 and eventually closed out the fourth game 11-9, sealing the 2-1 victory for Malaysia and booking their spot in the final against Pakistan.
A Successful Day for Indian Squash
While the men's team fell short of the gold, the day was a celebration of Indian squash on the continental stage. Earlier in the day, the Indian women’s team also secured a bronze medal after a closely contested 1-2 semifinal loss to Hong Kong.
India's Growing Medal Tally
The bronze medal won by the men's squash team brought India's total medal count to five on the 12th day of the Asian Games 2026. The day's achievements included:
- Silver: Nitesh Siwach in the men’s 97kg Greco-Roman wrestling category.
- Silver: Manu Francis and Prince Noble in the men’s skiff sailing event.
- Bronze: The Indian women’s squash team.
- Bronze: T Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru in the men’s compound individual archery event.
- Bronze: The Indian men’s squash team.