Indian Teqball duo advances to bronze medal match Sunday
Indian Teqball players Quimcy Joaquim Dsouza and Mohamed Anas Imran Beg secured their spot in the mixed doubles bronze medal match at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya. Friday saw the pair defeat Abulencia Jhoana and Agustin Prince from the Philippines in a dominant 2-0 repechage victory. This fast-paced sport, played on a curved table, continues to gain rapid popularity across Asia since its inclusion in regional multi-sport events.
Dsouza and Beg previously lost their quarter-final match against Gian Nghi Trinh and Hoang Minh Tan Nguyen of Vietnam. That straight-set defeat ended with scores of 12-7 and 12-10, pushing the Indian team into the repechage bracket. Their immediate response against the Philippines showed clear determination. They claimed the first set 12-3 and finished the match with a 12-6 win in the second set. This crucial performance keeps their podium hopes alive for Sunday.
Reaching the knockout rounds required surviving a challenging preliminary round-robin format. The Indian duo finished their four Group A matches with two wins and two losses. They started strong by beating the exact same Philippine pair 2-0. However, they then faced back-to-back defeats. Cambodia’s Bun Thuonvireak and Yorn Sophornraksmy claimed a narrow 2-1 victory over them, followed by a 2-0 loss to Thailand’s Dejaroen Phakpong and Wongkhamchan Suphawadi. Facing elimination in their final group match, Dsouza and Beg crushed Kuwait's Alebraheem Salman and Alfailakawi Hessah. They dominated that must-win fixture, dropping only one point in the first set before winning 12-6 in the second.
Fans can also watch Dsouza compete in the women’s singles event this weekend. She finished at the top of Group A after defeating competitors from Japan and Cambodia. She will now challenge Indonesia’s Sumaya in Saturday's semi-final round.
With Inputs from Agency Threads and Image Courtesy: ANI
