Horsens: Indian men’s team has been drawn to face Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinal of the BWF Thomas Cup Finals after the knockout draw was made here on Thursday.
The 2022 champions finished second in Group A and had already qualified for the quarter-finals following 4-1 and 5-0 wins against Canada and Australia, respectively, in their first two matches. But they suffered a 3-2 defeat against China in their last group game on Wednesday.
Chinese Taipei did an intimate dance with disaster before somehow scrambling through by the hardest route imaginable to take their place in the quarter-finals of the Thomas Cup.
Needing to win the final Group C tie over hosts Denmark – who only needed to win one match – Chinese Taipei would have looked to their strength in second and third singles to see them through on Wednesday.
Defending champions China, who remained unbeaten to top Group A, will take on Malaysia. Group B toppers Japan will lock horns with France, who staged a stunning takedown of pre-tournament favourites and 14-time champions Indonesia. Meanwhile, host Denmark, who finished second in Group C, are slotted to face Thailand.
After Indonesia, China are the second most successful team with 11 titles. The Chinese, winners of five straight titles from 2004 to 2012, suffered a shock semifinal defeat in the 2014 edition to Japan, who went on to take their first-ever title beating Malaysia in an exciting final in New Delhi.
It was then Denmark’s turn to create history in 2016 as they became the first non-Asian country to win the Thomas Cup, which they did beating Indonesia in the final in Kunshan. The 2018 edition saw China once again storm to the title, beating Japan 3-1 in the final in Bangkok.
The 2020 edition was held in October 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Indonesia broke a 19-year drought, beating China 3-0 in the final.
The 2022 saw history being made in Bangkok, as India won their first major team title beating Indonesia 3-0 in the final. India thus became only the sixth country to win the Thomas Cup, and the third first-time winners in eight years. China, denied the title for a decade, roared back on home turf in Chengdu, beating Indonesia 3-1 in the final.
BWF Thomas and Uber Cup 2026 Knockouts Draw
China vs Malaysia
Thailand vs Denmark
France vs Japan
India vs Chinese Taipei
(IANS)
