Bangkok witnessed a landmark achievement for Indian badminton as they swept 14-time winners Indonesia 3-0 in the finals. This maiden Thomas Cup title was built on three straight wins: Lakshay Sen first took down Anthony Ginting, then the pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty outplayed Ahsan and Sukamuljo to secure a 2-0 lead. The victory was completed when senior player Kidambi Srikanth beat Jonatan Christie to make it a clean 3-0 sweep.
It was a historic day for Indian badminton as they hammered 14-time champion Indonesia 3-0 in the Thomas and Uber Cup finals in Bangkok. India outplayed Indonesia to win a historic maiden title in the Thomas Cup world team badminton championships. India kicked off the victories with Lakshay Sen defeating Anthony Ginting, and Indian Men’s double pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty outclassed Ahsan and Sukamuljo. Both the victories gave India a 2-0 lead. In the third match, Indian senior ace Kidambi Srikanth surpassed Jonatan Christie to make it 3-0.
The Indian squad showed total dominance in the finals, winning the championship without losing a single match. With this triumph on Sunday, India enters an elite club as only the sixth country ever to win the Thomas Cup, joining the ranks of Denmark, Malaysia, Japan, China, and Indonesia.
India's path to the trophy involved hard-fought 3-2 victories over both Malaysia and Denmark in the earlier knockout stages. By the time they reached the final, the Indian men had effectively dismantled three of the world's most powerful badminton nations in the sport's most prestigious team event.
The final started with a thrilling battle where rising star Lakshay Sen overcame a disastrous first set to beat Anthony Ginting 8-21, 21-17, 21-16. Despite struggling with stomach illness and a shaky run in the earlier knockout rounds, the India Open champion pushed through the pain to secure a vital 1-0 lead against the world number 5, helping his country break a 73-year drought.
The 21-year-old's victory was a testament to his resilience. After losing the first game 8-21, it seemed like the match was slipping away, but Sen refused to quit. He staged a remarkable comeback, winning the next two sets to showcase his true skill and mental toughness.
While Sen provided the drama, Kidambi Srikanth provided the consistency. Srikanth was in peak form throughout the event, delivering a series of dazzling performances and winning every single one of his six matches.
This victory is being hailed by fans as the '1983 moment' for Indian badminton, drawing parallels to the legendary cricket World Cup win. Experts have lauded the team's brilliance, and coach Vimal Kumar believes this win will spark a similar revolution in the sport as the 1983 win did for cricket. To celebrate the achievement, Union Minister Anurag Thakur announced a reward of Rs 1 crore for the team.