Indian table tennis stars Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar continued their impressive run at the WTT China Smash 2026, securing a place in the men’s doubles semifinals with a convincing victory over China’s Liang Jingkun and Xiang Peng in Beijing on Thursday.
The second-seeded Indian combination delivered a commanding performance in the quarterfinals, defeating the Chinese pair in straight games, 3-0 (11-9, 11-5, 11-4), to book their spot in the final four of the prestigious tournament.
The contest lasted just 19 minutes, with Shah and Thakkar demonstrating excellent coordination and growing confidence as the match progressed.
The opening game proved to be the closest of the encounter, as the Chinese players offered strong resistance. However, the Indian duo held their nerve during the crucial stages to claim the first game 11-9 and take an early advantage.
After gaining momentum, Shah and Thakkar raised their level considerably in the second game, taking control of the exchanges and limiting their opponents’ opportunities.
Their aggressive approach helped them secure an 11-5 victory, putting them firmly in command of the quarterfinal clash.
The third game was even more one-sided, with the Indians maintaining their dominance to complete an emphatic 11-4 win and seal their semifinal qualification without dropping a game.
The result represents another significant achievement for the Indian pair, who have continued to showcase their ability to compete against strong international opponents.
Shah and Thakkar will now await the winners of the quarterfinal encounter between Sweden’s Anton Kallberg and Kristian Karlsson and South Korea’s Lim Jonghoon and Oh Junsung.
A victory in their next match would send the Indian combination into the men’s doubles final, keeping their hopes of claiming the WTT China Smash title alive.
However, it was a mixed day for Manush Shah, who also competed in the mixed doubles category alongside fellow Indian Diya Chitale.
The Indian pair’s campaign ended in the semifinals after they suffered a 3-1 defeat against Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju and Cheng I-Ching.
The Taiwanese combination secured the contest with game scores of 11-7, 9-11, 12-10 and 11-4.
Despite fighting back to level the match after losing the opening game, Shah and Chitale were unable to maintain their momentum against their opponents.
While the mixed doubles exit brought disappointment, Shah remains in contention for silverware in the men’s doubles alongside Thakkar.
The Indian duo will now look to carry their impressive quarterfinal form into the semifinals as they aim to move one step closer to the championship.
