Aichi-Nagoya: India are assured of at least two more medals at the Asian Games 2026 after reaching the mixed doubles semi-finals in table tennis and squash on Day 6 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Friday.
Diya Chitale and Manush Shah entered the table tennis mixed doubles semi-finals after defeating Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem. The result assured India a medal in the event. In squash, veteran Joshana Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar also secured a medal after reaching the mixed doubles semi-finals.
India began Day 6 with 17 medals — one gold, seven silver and nine bronze — according to the latest NDTV medal tally. The country is looking to add to that total through shooting, athletics, kabaddi, hockey and other events during the day.
Table tennis pair enters medal bracket
Diya Chitale and Manush Shah produced an important result in mixed doubles table tennis by defeating Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem to reach the semi-finals.
The semi-final berth guarantees India at least a bronze medal, as the two losing semi-finalists receive bronze medals.
The result added to India’s medal prospects on a day when several other sports were also scheduled to produce medal opportunities.
India’s other mixed doubles pair, Harmeet Desai and Yashaswini Ghorpade, lost their quarter-final against China’s Lin Shidong and Kuai Man.
Joshana Chinappa, Velavan Senthilkumar assure squash medal
India also secured another medal in squash after Joshana Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar progressed to the mixed doubles semi-finals.
The result guarantees India at least a bronze medal in the event.
For Joshana, the result adds another milestone to a long international career. She has been one of India’s prominent squash players for several years, while Velavan has emerged as one of the country’s leading younger players in the sport.
Their progress means India have two additional medals assured in racquet sports on Day 6, although the colour of both medals will be decided by their respective semi-final results.
Shooters match Asian record
India’s shooting contingent also made a strong start in the mixed team 10m air pistol qualification.
Kamaljeet and Suruchi Inder Singh topped the qualification round after matching the Asian record. Their performance took them into the final, giving India another opportunity to add a medal.
The pair were scheduled to compete in the mixed team 10m air pistol final during the day’s action.
India also had medal hopes in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event. Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Patil and Niraj Kumar were involved in qualification and team competition.
At one stage of the qualification, Tomar was leading the Indian contenders after strong scores in the kneeling and prone positions. India were also in medal contention in the team standings.
India women’s hockey team leads Japan
The Indian women’s hockey team was also in action against hosts Japan.
At the 40-minute mark, India were leading Japan 3-0, with Navneet Kaur scoring India’s third goal. The match was part of India’s campaign in the women’s hockey competition at the Games.
The Indian team entered the match after victories in the earlier stages of the tournament and was looking to strengthen its position in the competition.
The final result of the match was still awaited in the live update available at the time of reporting.
Kabaddi teams in semi-finals
Both the Indian men’s and women’s kabaddi teams are also in action in the semi-finals on Day 6.
The women’s team, the defending champions, entered the semi-final after remaining unbeaten in the group stage. India defeated Iran 37-23 in their final group match after earlier victories over Bangladesh and Japan.
Against Japan, India led 32-13 at half-time before adding another 18 points in the second half.
The Indian women’s team was scheduled to face Nepal in the semi-final at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium. The match was scheduled to begin at 9.30 am IST.
The men’s kabaddi team was also due to play its semi-final as India targeted a place in the gold-medal match.
Mixed results in other events
India’s Day 6 campaign also produced mixed results in several disciplines.
In badminton, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto defeated the Maldives pair of Aminath Abdul Razzaq and Nibal Ahmed in the mixed doubles first round.
In canoe sprint, Prohit Baroi and Prasanna Kumar finished fifth in the men’s kayak double 500m semi-final and progressed to Final B. Megha Pradeep and Neha Leichonbam, however, finished fourth in their canoe double 500m semi-final and were eliminated.
In fencing, India’s men’s team of Aditya, Hemash Singh, Tejas Patil and Sachin lost to Hong Kong in the round of 16. The women’s epee team of Anupriya, Mitva Chaudhari, Tanishka Khatri and Yashkeerat Kaur also exited after losing to Uzbekistan.
Swimming and athletics updates
India also had competitors in the swimming and athletics events.
Dhanush Suresh finished seventh in his men’s 50m breaststroke heat and 21st overall, missing qualification for the final.
Rishabh Das and Utkarsh Patil qualified for the men’s 200m backstroke final after finishing fourth and ninth overall in the heats respectively.
In the men’s 400m freestyle heats, Aneesh Sunil finished 17th and Dhakshan Shashikumar 18th, with neither qualifying for the final.
In athletics, Anamika Aneesh and Pooja competed in the women’s heptathlon. After the long jump event, Anamika was sixth and Pooja 10th in that individual event, while they stood seventh and ninth respectively in the overall standings at that stage.
India starts Day 6 with 17 medals
India’s medal tally at the start of Day 6 stood at 17 medals, comprising one gold, seven silver and nine bronze.
The women’s cricket team had secured India’s first gold of the Games, while shooting had contributed four silver and four bronze medals to the tally at the latest count. Athletics, weightlifting, wushu, rowing, mixed martial arts, badminton and soft tennis had also contributed medals.
The two assured medals in table tennis and squash will increase India’s medal tally once they are officially awarded, while the colour of those medals will depend on the semi-final results.
More medal opportunities on Day 6
India have several other medal opportunities during the sixth day of competition.
Shooting remains a key focus, with the mixed team 10m air pistol final and men’s 50m rifle 3 positions among the events attracting attention.
Athletics also offers medal opportunities, including the women’s shot put and pole vault and the men’s 10,000m and hammer throw. The men’s and women’s kabaddi semi-finals and the women’s hockey match against Japan are among the other major events involving Indian athletes.
With the Games continuing until October 4, India’s Day 6 campaign is set to produce several more results across disciplines. The immediate focus is on converting the assured medals in table tennis and squash into gold-medal appearances while the shooters, kabaddi teams and athletes continue their respective campaigns.