India’s women’s table tennis team advanced to the quarterfinals of the Asian Games 2026 after producing a convincing 3-0 victory over Pakistan in their Group F encounter in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on September 21.
The Indian team completed a perfect group-stage campaign with three wins from three matches and finished at the top of Group F. The victory over Pakistan followed India’s 3-0 win against Indonesia and a hard-fought 3-2 comeback victory over Singapore.
India made changes to its playing lineup for the Pakistan match, giving Sutirtha Mukherjee and Syndrela Das an opportunity to compete. The changes did not affect the team’s momentum, as all three Indian players won their respective matches in straight games.
Sutirtha Mukherjee played the opening match against Pakistan’s Aleena Khan. The experienced Indian paddler controlled the contest from the beginning and secured a comfortable 11-3, 11-3, 11-4 victory. The match lasted only around 10 minutes, giving India an early 1-0 advantage.
Sutirtha’s victory provided India with the ideal start. She maintained control throughout the three games and did not allow her opponent to build any significant momentum. The straight-games win also put India within two victories of securing the overall tie.
The second match featured 17-year-old Indian player Syndrela Das against Kalsoom Khan. Syndrela continued India’s strong performance and recorded another straight-games victory. She defeated Kalsoom 11-6, 11-7, 11-5 to give India a 2-0 lead.
Syndrela’s performance was particularly significant as she was making her Asian Games debut. Her inclusion in the lineup gave India an opportunity to test its squad depth during the group stage. She responded with a composed performance and put India one match away from qualifying for the knockout stage.
Sreeja Akula then took the court for the third match against Fatima Khan. India’s highest-ranked player in the tie completed the clean sweep with an 11-4, 11-4, 11-5 victory.
Sreeja remained in control throughout the match and dropped only 13 points across the three games. Her victory confirmed India’s 3-0 win and secured the team’s place in the quarterfinals.
The result gave India three victories in three Group F matches. The team had begun its campaign against Indonesia, winning that tie 3-0. India then faced a tougher challenge against Singapore and eventually secured a 3-2 comeback victory after initially trailing 1-2.
Against Singapore, Sreeja Akula and Yashaswini Ghorpade played important roles in the comeback. India won the final two matches to overturn the deficit and claim victory.
The Pakistan match therefore provided another opportunity for India to demonstrate its squad strength. Sutirtha and Syndrela were brought into the lineup, replacing Diya Chitale and Yashaswini Ghorpade. Both replacements won their matches, while Sreeja completed the tie in the third match.
India’s performance against Pakistan was also notable for the sportsmanship shown by players from both teams. The Indian and Pakistani players shook hands after their respective matches, with no reported issue surrounding the post-match interaction.
With the group stage now complete, India moves into the knockout phase of the women’s team table tennis competition. The quarterfinal stage will provide a more demanding challenge, with the Indian team looking to continue its strong run and compete for a place in the medal rounds.
India has a history of winning Asian Games medals in table tennis, although the women’s team event has not previously produced a medal for the country. India’s table tennis medals at the Asian Games have included bronze medals in the men’s team event, mixed doubles and women’s doubles.
At the Hangzhou Asian Games, Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee won bronze in the women’s doubles competition. Sutirtha therefore brings previous Asian Games medal experience into the 2026 team campaign.
The current Indian squad combines experienced players with younger talent. Sreeja Akula provides experience at the international level, while Sutirtha has already competed successfully at previous Asian Games. Syndrela Das, meanwhile, has emerged as a young player capable of contributing at the senior level.
The 3-0 victory over Pakistan also demonstrated India’s ability to win matches without dropping a game. Sutirtha, Syndrela and Sreeja collectively won nine games and lost none during the tie.
India’s perfect Group F record means the team enters the quarterfinals with confidence from three consecutive victories. The opening win over Indonesia was followed by the comeback against Singapore and then the straight-games victory over Pakistan.
For Pakistan, the defeat ended its women’s team campaign in the group stage. Pakistan had also lost its earlier matches against Singapore and Indonesia before facing India in its final Group F tie.
The Indian women’s team will now turn its attention to the quarterfinal stage. The knockout matches will determine which teams progress toward the medal rounds at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
For now, the key result is India’s 3-0 victory over Pakistan and its qualification for the quarterfinals. Sutirtha Mukherjee, Syndrela Das and Sreeja Akula all won in straight games, helping India complete a three-match winning run and finish first in Group F.
The result adds another positive development to India’s campaign at the 2026 Asian Games, where the country has already made an impressive start across several sports. The table tennis team will now look to carry its group-stage form into the knockout rounds.