It was a battle of nerves, grit and relentless attacking badminton, but Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty dug deep to beat Malaysia’s Junaidi Arif and Roy Kim Yap 21-23, 21-19, 21-17 in a thrilling Round of 16 clash at the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi.
The Indian pair needed 80 minutes to complete a hard-fought comeback after dropping a tight opening game. Satwik and Chirag raised their intensity as the match progressed, fought for every point and held their nerve in the decider to seal their place in the quarter-finals. They will face third seeds Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang in the last eight.
The victory brought some much-needed cheer to the home crowd and kept India’s medal hopes alive at the World Championships. Satwik and Chirag celebrated with relief after a gruelling contest, while the packed stands erupted in support.
For the Indian contingent, it was a welcome result after a difficult day, with Satwik and Chirag ensuring there will be at least one Indian challenge in the latter stages of the tournament.
– Ends
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