India End Asian Games Squash Campaign With Two Team Bronzes

India’s squash campaign at the 2026 Asian Games ended with two team bronze medals after the women lost 2-1 to Hong Kong in their semifinal and the men were beaten by the same margin by Malaysia. The results added to India’s wider squash haul of two singles silvers and a mixed-doubles bronze.

The women’s semifinal was particularly close, with Tanvi Khanna producing a comeback victory to level the three-match contest after Anahat Singh’s narrow opening defeat. However, Joshna Chinappa’s straight-games loss in the deciding tie sent Hong Kong through and left India with bronze.

Women’s team tie turns on narrow Anahat Singh defeat

India’s hopes of improving on its Hangzhou 2022 team result began with Anahat, the world No. 17, facing Hong Kong’s world No. 25 Sin Yuk Chan. Anahat took the first two games 11-9 and 11-8, but Sin fought back to win 11-6, 13-11, 12-10 and complete a 3-2 victory.

Anahat had led 10-6 in the fourth game and held four match points, but was unable to close out the match. In the fifth, she recovered from 7-9 down to draw level at 9-9. Sin earned the first match point, which Anahat saved with a backhand drop, before the Hong Kong player created another opportunity and sealed the contest.

“I was 2-0 up and had a great chance of winning, but I wasn’t really able to convert the game,” Anahat said. “Of course, it doesn’t always go to plan, but Tanvi did incredibly well coming back and backing up that match and winning against an amazing player.”

Tanvi, ranked world No. 73, then kept India in contention with a 3-1 win over world No. 40 Ka Yi Lee. After losing the first game 11-4, Tanvi won the next three 13-11, 11-9, 13-11.

She recovered in the second game after earning a game point at 10-9, then converted a further chance to level the match. Tanvi also fought back from 7-3 down in the third game, reaching 9-9 before taking the game. In the fourth, she led 4-1 before Lee moved ahead 9-7. Tanvi drew level, saved a game point, and eventually converted her second match point.

With the tie level at 1-1, Chinappa faced world No. 39 Ho Tze Lok in the decider. Ho won 11-4, 11-7, 11-9 in 21 minutes. Chinappa saved five of six match points late in the third game, but Hong Kong completed the 2-1 semifinal victory.

Chinappa said she was disappointed by how close India had come, while praising the team’s effort. The 40-year-old also set a record for the most Asian Games appearances by an Indian.

Malaysia edge India in men’s semifinal

India’s men entered their semifinal against Malaysia as the stronger side on paper, but Malaysia won 2-1 to set up a final against Pakistan. Veer Chotrani gave India a winning start, defeating Sanjay Jeeva 11-4, 11-8, 11-5.

India’s top-ranked player Abhay Singh was then beaten by Eain Yow Ng, the player he had lost to in the men’s singles final. Yow won 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 to level the tie.

The semifinal came down to Velavan Senthilkumar against Ameeshenraj Chandaran. Senthilkumar was the higher-ranked player, but Chandaran prevailed 10-12, 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 to secure Malaysia’s place in the final and India’s second team bronze.

Anahat’s women’s singles silver took her Asian Games medal total to four, following two bronze medals at the previous edition. For India, the two team bronzes closed a campaign that delivered medals across singles, mixed doubles and both team competitions.