- PV Sindhu opened India’s campaign with a 21-7, 21-9 win over Kamila Smagulova in just 24 minutes.
- Unnati Hooda and Tanvi Sharma sealed the tie with straight-game wins.
- India will face Japan in the quarter-finals on September 22.
India's women's badminton team made a confident start to their Asian Games 2026 campaign, cruising past Kazakhstan 3-0 in the Round of 16 to book their place in the quarter-finals of the women's team event.
Led by two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, India produced a dominant display across all three singles matches.
None of the Indian shuttlers faced much trouble against their Kazakh opponents, with India wrapping up the tie without dropping a single match.
The victory takes India into the quarter-finals, where they will face Japan on September 22 with a place in the medal rounds at stake.
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PV Sindhu Leads India To Winning Start
PV Sindhu got India off to a perfect start in the opening women's singles match. The experienced Indian comfortably defeated Kamila Smagulova 21-7, 21-9.
Sindhu controlled the contest from the beginning and never allowed her opponent to settle. After taking the opening game 21-7, she maintained the pressure in the second to complete a straight-games victory and give India a 1-0 lead.
Unnati Hooda Doubles India's Advantage
India's second singles player, Unnati Hooda, then stepped onto the court with the opportunity to put the team within touching distance of the quarter-finals.
Hooda delivered a composed performance against Alissa Kuleshova, winning 21-7, 21-10. She dominated both games and ensured that India needed just one more victory to seal the tie.
With two straight wins in the opening matches, the pressure was firmly on Kazakhstan ahead of the third singles contest.
Tanvi Sharma Completes 3-0 Victory
In the women's singles match, Tanvi Sharma managed to clinch victory for India, achieving yet another straight-sets win in her match.
She was able to register a score of 21-5 and 21-10 against Diana Namenova, thereby giving India a sound lead of 3-0 in the match and resulting in India's qualification for the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Sharma put up an incredibly impressive show during the first game by allowing just five points to her opponent, thereby controlling the second game as well to seal the match in her favor.
India Face Japan For A Medal Spot
India has made its way to the quarter-finals of the women's team event in the 20th Asian Games being held in Aichi-Nagoya, following a 3-0 win against Kazakhstan.
On September 22, India will compete against Japan, and a win here will bring it closer to winning a medal in the women's team event.