India’s commanding run at the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships (CTTC) 2026 continued on Friday morning as the mixed doubles pair of Ronit Bhanja and Anusha Kutumbale secured a convincing 3-1 victory over Australia’s Nicholas Wen Zheng Lum and Liu Yanzgi.
Competing on Table 1 at 09:00 AM in the Round of 32, the Indian duo showcased exceptional coordination and tactical composure to dismantle their Australian opponents and secure safe passage into the next round of the individual events.
This success comes on the heels of a momentous triumph for the host nation at the Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi. Just a day prior, the Indian men’s squad captured the team gold medal after overcoming a stern challenge from Malaysia in a thrilling 3-2 final.
High Drama in the Men’s Team Final
The gold-medal tie saw India’s squad comprising World No. 38 Manav Thakkar, Manush Shah, and veteran Sathiyan Gnanasekaran—pushed to the absolute limit.
Thakkar initiated the tie with a hard-fought 12-10, 11-7, 5-11, 11-5 victory over Malaysia’s Javen Choong to establish a 1-0 advantage for the hosts. His regular doubles partner, Manush Shah, then extended the lead to 2-0 by outlasting Qi Shen Wong 11-13, 11-9, 11-7, 2-11, 11-7 in a five-game thriller.
However, Malaysia mounted a spirited comeback. Hong Yu Tey stunned Gnanasekaran in straight games (11-7, 11-8, 12-10) to keep the tie alive. Returning to the table for his second singles rubber, Thakkar was unable to close out the match, falling 4-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-1 to Qi Shen Wong as Malaysia leveled the contest at 2-2.
In the decisive fifth match, Shah displayed remarkable nerve, dominating Javen Choong 11-7, 11-4, 11-4 to seal the championship for India alongside a $10,000 cash prize.
Broader Tournament Podium
The full gold-medal winning Indian contingent featured Manav Thakkar, Manush Shah, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Harmeet Desai, and Payas Jain.
Malaysia secured the silver medal with a roster featuring Javen Choong, Qi Shen Wong, Jin Zhen Mi, Hong Yu Tey, and Richard Rui Zhe Yap. Meanwhile, Singapore (Josh Shao Han Chua, Nicholas Tan, Ellsworth Le, Zhao Ray Tan, and Ze Yi Yang) and England (Connor Alexander Green, Siraj Shayan Waseem, Joseph Edward Hunter, and Benjamin J. Piggott) both earned bronze medals after reaching the semifinals.
With team momentum at an all-time high, India’s paddlers now turn their attention toward sweeping the individual and doubles categories.
