NEW DELHI: The Indian men’s badminton team has been handed a relatively easy draw for the Thomas Cup, pooled with 11-time winners China, Pam Am winners Canada and Oceania champions Australia in Group A.
While defending champions China will definitely test 2022 edition winners India, the Lakshya Sen-led team is expected to have an easy outing against Canada and Australia in the April 24-May 3 event that will be held in Horsens, Denmark. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the quarter-finals.
Former champions Japan are in Group B with five-time winners Malaysia, England and Finland. This time around there will be two groups of death with Group C comprising Chinese Taipei, hosts Denmark, South Korea and Sweden.
Second seeds Indonesia, the most successful team in the history of Thomas Cup with 14 crowns, are also in for a tough test as they have been pooled in Group D with France, Thailand and Algeria.
France have emerged as an important badminton nation with top talents like world No.10 Alex Lanier and the Popov brothers while Thailand can be dangerous with world No.1 Kunlavut Viditsarn in their ranks.
Tricky draw for Indian women
However, the Indian women’s team will find the going tough as they have been drawn with 16-time and defending champions China, three-time finalists Denmark and Ukraine in Group A. If India are to make the knockouts, they will have to overcome at least two teams.
Six-time winners Japan are up against Malaysia, Turkiye and African champions South Africa in Group B while Group C has Chinese Taipei, three-time champions Indonesia, Pan Am winners Canada and Oceania champions Australia. Two-time champions South Korea will be tested by Thailand, Bulgaria and Spain in Group D.
“We have got a decent draw and a chance to reach the quarter-finals in both the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup competitions,” Badminton Association of India (BAI) secretary general Sanjay Mishra said.
“We have a strong team that has proved that they can beat any top team on their day and after reaching the quarter-finals anything is possible.”
The draw ceremony was held in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.
The only time Indian men have stood on the Thomas Cup podium was when they created history by winning the 2022 edition. The women’s team won two bronze medals in the Uber Cup in 2014 and 2016.
