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Satwik-Chirag's Dominant Run: How They Crushed Indonesia to Lead Group B

India's top men's doubles pair, Satwik and Chirag, are on a roll at the World Tour Finals. They just notched their second consecutive win in a thrilling three-game battle against Indonesia. This victory puts them firmly at the top of their group and inches them closer to a semifinal spot. They'll face Malaysia's Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik next in their final group match.

Key Points: Satwik-Chirag Beat Alfian/Fikri, Lead BWF Finals Group B

  • Satwik-Chirag dominated the opening game, never trailing to win it 21-11
  • The Indonesian pair mounted a strong fightback to claim a tight second game 21-16
  • The Indian duo responded emphatically in the decider, sealing a comfortable 21-11 victory
  • With two wins, they now lead Group B and are in a strong position for the semifinals
2 min read

Badminton: Satwik-Chirag continue winning run, beat Alfian/Fikri to lead Group B in World Tour Finals

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty secure their second straight win at the BWF World Tour Finals, defeating Indonesia's Alfian/Fikri to top Group B.

"The Indian pair showed authority and composure to win 21-11, 16-21, 21-11. - Match Report"

Hangzhou, Dec 18

India’s top men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, registered their second successive win at the BWF World Tour Finals 2025, defeating Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri in a pulsating three-game contest at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium on Thursday.

The Indian pair, ranked No.3 in the World, showed authority and composure to win 21-11, 16-21, 21-11, extending their unbeaten run in Group B and moving into a strong position for a semi-final berth. With two wins from two matches, Satwik and Chirag now lead the group and have built a considerable advantage in points difference.

With this win, the Indian pair inched closer to the semifinals, surging to the top spot in Group B with two wins from two matches.

Satwik and Chirag were dominant in the opening game, never trailing at any stage as they controlled the rallies and took it 21-11. The Indonesians, winners of the China Open Super 1000 earlier this year despite forming their partnership only in 2025, mounted a fightback in the second game. Although the Indians recovered from an early 8-3 deficit to level at 12-12, they eventually conceded the game 16-21.

The Indian pair responded emphatically in the decider. After brief early exchanges, Satwik and Chirag surged ahead, opening up leads of up to eight points before closing out the match comfortably at 21-11.

They will next face second seeds Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia on Friday in their final group fixture.

Group A comprises the top-seeded pair Kim Won Ho/Seo Seung Jae of Korea, Wei Chong Man/Wun Tee Kai of Malaysia, Sabai Karyaman Gutama and Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani of Indonesia, along with Chiu Hsiang-Chieh/Wang Chi-Lin of Chinese Taipei.

In women's singles matches, fourth seed Akane Yamaguchi of Japan came back from the loss of the first game to Putri Kusuma Wardani of Indonesia to win the match 22-24, 21-19, 21-13 while top seed An Se Young of Korea defeated Tomoka Miyazaki of Japan in straight games, 21-9, 21-6 in a 33-minute encounter.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
So proud of our boys! Beating a strong Indonesian pair is never easy. They are making the country proud. All the best for the match against Malaysia tomorrow. Let's go for the gold! 🏸
V
Vikram M
Fantastic win, but the second game loss is a bit concerning. They had levelled at 12-12 but then let it slip. Against top pairs like the Malaysians next, they can't afford such lapses. Hope they tighten up for the semis.
S
Sarah B
Watching from Canada! Their coordination is just brilliant. The way they closed out the third game 21-11 was so dominant. Really putting Indian badminton on the global map.
R
Rohit P
Yaar, these two are just too good! The smashes from Satwik and the net play from Chirag are a deadly combination. Leading the group is huge. Bas, ab semi-final confirm karo! 💪
K
Kavya N
This is the consistency we needed! After the Olympics, they have just gotten better. Beating the World No. 3 pair (the Indonesians) so convincingly in the decider shows their class. All the best for the finals!

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