India’s Table Tennis Teams qualify for 2026 World Championships with undefeated wins at South Asia Regional
India’s men’s and women’s table tennis teams have qualified for the 2026 World Table Tennis Championships in London, securing direct entry by winning the South Asia Regional Championships in Kathmandu. Both teams finished undefeated, showcasing dominance in the region.
Hyderabad: India’s men’s and women’s table tennis teams have sealed their berths for the prestigious 2026 World Table Tennis Championships (WTTC) in London, following a commanding performance at the 2025 South Asia Regional Championships held at the National Table Tennis Centre in Kathmandu.
With only 16 coveted Asian quota spots per gender available, the stakes were high. Four regional champions from Central Asia, South Asia, South-East Asia, and West Asia secure direct qualification for the WTTC—one of the most prestigious events in the international calendar. The Indian squads, showcasing depth and dominance, made no mistake in ensuring their passage.
Both Indian teams emerged undefeated in the five-nation round-robin format, reaffirming their supremacy in the South Asian region. The men’s team—comprising Akash Pal, Ronit Bhanja, Anirban Ghosh, P.B. Abhinand, and Divyansh Srivastava—cruised past Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Maldives with identical 3-0 wins, displaying sharp form and tactical maturity.
Similarly, the women’s team, led by Krittwika Sinha, Selenadeepthi Selvakumar, Taneesha Kotecha, Sayali Wani, and Syndrela Das, produced an equally commanding show. They too registered comprehensive 3-0 victories over the same four opponents, not dropping a single match en route to qualification.
The team management made strategic use of the squad, rotating players effectively to provide vital international exposure to emerging talent—underscoring the bench strength and preparation ahead of the WTTC.
With London 2026 set to host the world’s best in a truly global showcase of table tennis, India’s early qualification marks a crucial milestone. It not only reflects the teams’ regional dominance but also sets the stage for focused preparations leading to the marquee event, where global ranking points, Olympic implications, and national pride will be on the line.
