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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 beat Indonesia's Alfian and Fikri in a thrilling three-game match. This victory puts them firmly at the top of their group with two wins. They're in a great position to secure a spot in the semi-finals.

Key Points: Satwik-Chirag Beat Alfian-Fikri Lead BWF World Tour Finals Group

  • Dominated the opening game 21-11, never trailing at any stage
  • Faced a strong Indonesian fightback to lose the second game 16-21
  • Responded emphatically in the decider, closing it out comfortably 21-11
  • Now lead Group B with two wins and a strong points difference
  • Will face Malaysia's Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in final group match
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Satwik-Chirag continue winning run, beat Alfian-Fikri to lead Group B at World Tour Finals

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

"The World No. 3 Indians showed authority and composure to win 21-11, 16-21, 21-11 - Badminton Association of India"

Hangzhou, December 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 thrilling three-game contest at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium on Thursday.

The World No. 3 Indians 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, as per a release from the Badminton Association of India (BAI).

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.

Earlier, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty opened their BWF World Tour Finals 2025 campaign with a strong win over China's Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, defeating them 12-21, 22-20, 21-14 in Hangzhou to gain an early boost in a tough Group B.

Satwik and Chirag are currently ranked third in men's doubles and have secured the BWF World Championship bronze medal, their second World Championship medal, and two runner-up finishes at the Hong Kong Open and the China Masters this year. The star duo was consistent throughout, reaching the semifinals in the Malaysia Open, India Open, Singapore Open, China Open and Denmark Open in 2025. This is their second appearance in the BWF World Tour Finals after 2021.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
So proud of our boys! They are making it look easy in a group of death. Beating the Chinese pair in the first match and now the Indonesians... just one more step to the semis. All the best for the match against Malaysia!
R
Rohit P
Their consistency this year has been phenomenal. Semis in so many tournaments and now leading the group at the Finals. This is the result of hard work and a great partnership. Hope they go all the way this time!
M
Michael C
Watching from the UK. These two are a joy to watch. The power from Satwik and the clever placements from Chirag are a perfect combination. They are genuine contenders for the title now.
S
Siddharth J
A small point of concern - they lost the second game from a winning position (12-12 to 16-21). Against top pairs in knockouts, they can't afford such lapses. But overall, a commanding win! The third game was pure dominance.
K
Kavya N
Yaay! Another win! 🏸 The entire nation is cheering for you. The way they bounced back in the third game shows their champion mentality. Bring home the trophy, boys!

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