Asian Games 2023 Badminton Results Day 8: Indian men's team secure historic silver medal

In a thrilling final that had badminton enthusiasts glued to their screens, the Indian men's badminton team secured a historic silver medal at the Asian Games 2023.

What looked like a comfortable win for the Indian shuttlers saw a dramatic turn of events. HS Prannoy-less India kicked off the tie in style with a 2-0 lead against the hosts China. But, the Chinese shuttlers quickly fought back to level the tie at 2-2 before sealing it with a win in the final match.

Despite narrowly missing out on the gold, it is the first time that the nation has secured a silver medal in this event at the Asian Games.

A closer look at the results

The final began with Lakshya Sen taking the court. He set the stage on fire in the first match of the tie, completely dominating China's Shi Yuqi in the first half of the first set. But, the Chinese quickly found his rhythm and gave Lakshya a tough fight. After a grueling three-set match, Sen emerged victorious 22-20, 14-21, 21-18.

The world no. 2 pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty continued the momentum. They beat their Chinese opponents Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang 21-15, 21-18 in the doubles, inching India closer to the coveted gold.

However, the Chinese side roared back when Kidambi Srikanth faced off against Li Shi Feng. Despite playing some exceptional badminton, Srikanth suffered a heartbreaking 22-24, 9-21 loss.

The Indian team's woes continued in the second doubles match, where Sai Pratheek and Dhruv Kapila faced a formidable Chinese duo. The Indians were outclassed 6-21, 15-21. With the score tied at 2-2, the fate of the tie rested on the final match.

Mithun Manjunath played the final match of the tie in place of HS Prannoy, who got injured after the semifinals against South Korea. Mithun squared off against Wen Hong Yan of China. The Chinese player displayed excellent skills and composure, overpowering the Indian 21-12, 21-4. This clinched the gold medal for China, leaving India with the silver.

Despite the disappointment of narrowly missing out on the gold, the Indian men's badminton team has consistently shown why it is one of the top teams in the world. Their historic silver medal at the Asian Games 2023 and the Thomas Cup win earlier this year serve as a testament to their outstanding performance.

With the conclusion of the team events, the Indian shuttlers will now compete in the individual events, which begin on October 2.