New Delhi: India whitewashed Australia 5-0 in their second Group A match at the Thomas Cup 2026 at Horsens, Denmark to qualify for the quarterfinals. Coming to the crucial clash on the back of a 4-1 win over Canada in the opener, the 2022 champions displayed their ruthless streak to blank the Aussies.
Star shuttler Lakshya Sen started the clash on a winning note with a straight-games success over Ephraim Stephen Sam. Lakshya, the 2026 All England Championship finalist, sealed a comfortable 21-14, 21-16 win in 37 minutes in the opening singles match.
Lakshya Sen in Action and Thomas Cup 2026. (Image credit: Badminton Photo)
2026 Badminton Asia Championships finalist Ayush Shetty continued the winning run with a commanding performance in his singles match. The 20-year-old rising shuttler brushed aside Shrey Dhand 21-8, 21-6 in just 26 minutes to give India a 2-0 lead.
Rising star Ayush Shetty won his singles match in the Group A tie between India and Australia at the Thomas Cup 2026. (Image credit: Badminton Photo)
Satwik-Chirag give India an unassailable lead
Needing just a win to clinch the match, the seasoned pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty breezed past Rizky Hidayat and Jack Yu 21-14, 21-16 in 38 minutes to give India an unassailable 3-0 lead.
In the next tie, veteran singles player HS Prannoy showed glimpses of his brilliant best to dispatch Rishi Honda Boopathy in just 29 minutes for a 21-11, 21-17 win. Prannoy’s dominant display helped India surge to a commanding 4-0 lead.
In the final tie of the match, Hariharan Amsakarunan and Arjun M.R. capped off the dominant performance with a straight-games win 21-12, 21-10 over Ephraim Stephen Sam and Andika Ramadiansyah to power India to a 5-0 win, and that too, without dropping a game.
With their second successive win in Group A, India all but sealed their place in the knockouts. The 2022 champions will take on China in the final league fixture on April 29.
Results:
India beat Australia 5-0 (Lakshya Sen beat Ephraim Stephen Sam 21-14, 21-16; Ayush Shetty beat Shrey Dhand 21-8, 21-6; Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty beat Rizky Hidayat/Jack Yu 21-14, 21-16; HS Prannoy beat Rishi Honda Boopathy 21-11, 21-17; Hariharan Amsakarunan/MR Arjun beat Andika Ramadiansyah/Sam 21-12, 21-10)