Thomas Cup 2024 Live Updates: HS Prannoy takes the opening game as India take on England in Match 2

Thomas and Uber Cup 2024 Live: India and England players. (FILE)

Thomas Cup 2024, India vs England Live Updates: Defending world men’s team champions India return to action in Thomas Cup 2024 group stage on Monday in Chengdu as they take on England, with a win assuring them of a spot in the quarterfinals.

India started their Thomas Cup title defence with a 4-1 win against Thailand on Saturday. Current India No 1 HS Prannoy went down in the opening singles against world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn. But that was a blip as India’s depth came through with thrilling three-game wins for Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Lakshya Sen gave India the lead. Then the doubles combination of MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila sealed India’s win, before Srikanth Kidambi applied the finishing touches.

Uber Cup: No Sindhu, no problem as Anmol Kharb and Isharani Baruah help India beat Singapore and enter quarters

Anmol Kharb on left and Isharani Baruah on right. (BWF/Badminton Photo)

With or without PV Sindhu, Indian women’s badminton continues its audacious run at international team events. This time around, a squad with an average age of just above 20, without the top stars, has secured quarterfinal qualification at the Uber Cup.

As has been the trend since February, young Anmol Kharb put the calm, finishing touches to a 4-1 win over Singapore, after she beat World No 207 Lee Xin Yi Megan. National coach Pullela Gopichand dubbed this performance “the real growth of Indian badminton – it’s how well the second string fares.” (Read more from Shivani Naik)