India finished their Sudirman Cup 2025 campaign on a positive note with a 3-2 win over England in their last Group D match at the Xiamen Fenghuang Gymnasium. Although the team was already out of the tournament following previous defeats to Indonesia and Denmark, this victory provided a morale boost and showcased the potential of India’s young badminton players.
Key Performances
Women’s Singles:
Anupama Upadhyaya got the Indian account going with an effortless display, thrashing Miu Lin Ngan 21-12, 21-16 in 41 minutes. Her clinical performance provided India with the initial lead.
Men’s Singles:
Satish Kumar Karunakaran demonstrated grit in a nail-biting tie against Harry Huang. Having lost the first game, he fought back to emerge 18-21, 22-20, 21-13 victor in a 73-minute tie that tilted the balance in India’s favor.
Women’s Doubles:
Tanisha Crasto and Shruti Mishra clinched the win for India with a convincing 21-17, 21-17 victory against Lizzie Tolman and Estelle Van Leeuwen. Their attacking net play and persistent defense proved to be the deciding factors.
Setbacks in Doubles
India did lose in the men’s and mixed doubles games. Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi lost to the English duo of Rory Easton and Alex Green 14-21, 21-11, 13-21. In mixed doubles, Karunakaran and Crasto lost a nail-biting game 21-11, 13-21, 22-24 to Callum Hemming and Estelle Van Leeuwen.
Final Takeaway
Even though they failed to advance to the knockout stage following 1-4 defeats to Indonesia and Denmark previously in the group stage, India’s win over England was a good finish to an otherwise difficult tournament. The show by young shuttlers such as Anupama and Karunakaran provides hope for the future and sets a good precedent for future international events.
