Asian Games in Nagoya: India take men's team bronze after a 3-1 semi-final loss to China
On 23 September 2026 India's only win came from Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty; it is India's second straight team medal at the Games.
The semi-final
China beat India 3-1 in the men's team semi-final at the Asian Games on Wednesday 23 September 2026 at the Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium, according to Outlook India, Deccan Chronicle and the Free Press Journal. In the first match Lakshya Sen lost to Shi Yuqi 16-21, 18-21; Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty then beat Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang 21-11, 22-20 to level the tie; Ayush Shetty lost to Li Shifeng 19-21, 13-21; and Hariharan Amsakarunan and M. R. Arjun lost the fourth match in three games.
A small score difference
For the fourth match Outlook and Deccan Chronicle give 16-21, 21-17, 9-21 from the Indian pair's side, while the Free Press Journal prints the same games in the other order. We use the version given by two outlets.
The medal
Outlook adds that India had reached the semi-final by beating Japan 3-0. All three outlets say it is the first time in 40 years that India has won team medals at two Games in a row, after the Hangzhou 2023 silver and the bronze medals of 1982 and 1986.
Why it matters
Team events let a country win with its doubles specialists as well as its singles players: here the pair's win over Liang and Wang, whom Outlook describes as reigning world champions, kept India alive for two more matches.