India eyes maiden medal at Sudirman Cup 2023 badminton tournament: Know Squad, Schedule, and Where to watch
The Sudirman Cup 2023, the 18th edition of the biennial mixed-team badminton tournament, is set to take place in Suzhou, China, from May 14 to 21.
The Indian badminton team will be looking to clinch its maiden podium finish at the tournament, having never won a medal in the event. India qualified for this year’s competition after winning the bronze medal in the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships in February.
Sudirman Cup 2023: Indian Squad
The Indian squad will feature top players, including two-time Olympic champion PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy. The Indian badminton team is in a difficult Group C, alongside Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, and Australia. The top two teams from each group will progress to the knockouts. India will open its campaign against Chinese Taipei on May 15.
PV Sindhu will face off against Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying in the opening encounter. Tai Tzu Ying, a former world No. 1 and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics silver medallist, holds a 17-5 head-to-head record against Sindhu. In men’s doubles, the Indian pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, ranked fifth in the recently released BWF world rankings, will be in focus. They won the Badminton Asia Championships 2023 men’s doubles crown last month.
In women’s doubles, the Indian team will be represented by Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly, who reached the semi-finals of the All England Open 2023.
The Indian badminton team will look to carry forward the momentum of their historic Thomas Cup win last year, along with a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and a bronze medal at the Asian mixed team championships this year, to achieve a maiden podium finish at the Sudirman Cup.
Sudirman Cup 2023 Badminton Complete Schedule and time for Indian matches
All in Indian Standard Time (IST)
May 14, Sunday: India vs Chinese Taipei – 7:30 AM
May 15, Monday: India vs Malaysia – 2:30 PM
May 17, Wednesday: India vs Australia – 7:30 AM
May 19, Friday: Quarter-finals (if India qualify)
May 20, Saturday: Semi-finals (if India qualify)
May 21, Sunday: Final (if India qualify)
Where to watch Sudirman Cup 2023
Sixteen nations will be competing for the title this year. The teams are divided into four groups of four teams each. The hosts, China, who are record 12-time Sudirman Cup champions, are placed in Group A with Denmark, Singapore, and Egypt.
All matches of the Sudirman Cup 2023 will be live streamed in India on the Official BWF’s Youtuve Channel and SonyLiv app along with Sony TEN 2 will broadcast the knockouts on TV.
The Sudirman Cup 2023 badminton tournament is set to be an exciting event for Indian badminton fans. With top players in the Indian squad and a history of recent successes in team championships, the Indian badminton team will be looking to secure a medal at the tournament.
The Sudirman Cup is an opportunity for India to showcase its talent in the sport and make a mark on the world stage.
