- Lakshya Sen and Unnati Hooda bowed out of the competition on Wednesday.
- PV Sindhu and Ayush Shetty will be among the biggest attractions.
- Satwik and Chirag will be eager to get back on court and make a strong push.
After a frustating day at the office for India at the BWF World Championships 2026, all eyes will be on PV Sindhu, Ayush Shetty and the star men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty today.
Lakshya Sen and Unnati Hooda crashed out of the competition on Wednesday after suffering disappointing defeats.
However, the Indian contingent still has several strong contenders in the tournament, with Thursday bringing a crucial round of 16 action at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
PV Sindhu and Ayush Shetty will be among the big names as they look to book their places in the quarterfinals.
ALSO READ: Big Upset At BWF World Championships 2026 As Lakshya Sen And Unnati Hooda Crash Out
PV Sindhu Faces Major Test Against Wang Zhi Yi
PV Sindhu will face a major test in the women's singles round of 16 as she takes on third-seeded Chinese shuttler Wang Zhi Yi.
Sindhu has a 3-5 head-to-head record against Wang, making Thursday's clash another difficult contest for the two-time Olympic medallist.
Ayush Shetty Looks To Continue Giant-Killing Run
Ayush Shetty has emerged as one of India's biggest stories at the World Championships.
The youngster stunned defending champion and world No. 1 Shi Yuqi in the opening round, winning 21-14, 13-21, 21-19 in one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
Ayush and Alwi have previously met four times, with their head-to-head record tied at 2-2, adding further intrigue to their latest battle.
Satwik-Chirag Lead Men's Doubles Charge
India's top men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will also be in action. The fifth-seeded Indians will face Malaysia's Junaidi Arif and Yap Roy King in the round of 16.
After receiving a walkover in the previous round, Satwik and Chirag will be eager to get back on court and make a strong push for the latter stages of the competition.
BWF World Championships 2026: India's Schedule Today
Match | Round | Tentative Time | Court |
Treesa Jolly/Gayatri Gopichand vs Rin Iwanaga/Kie Nakanishi | Women's Doubles R16 | 11:20 AM | Court 1 |
Dhruv Kapila/Tanisha Crasto vs Guo Xin Wa/Chen Fang Hui | Mixed Doubles R16 | 1:50 PM | Court 2 |
Ayush Shetty vs Alwi Farhan | Men's Singles R16 | 4:20 PM | Court 1 |
PV Sindhu vs Wang Zhi Yi | Women's Singles R16 | 5:10 PM | Court 1 |
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty vs Junaidi Arif/Yap Roy King | Men's Doubles R16 | 6:00 PM | Court 1 |
Individual match timings can change depending on the duration of earlier contests.
BWF World Championships 2026: When And Where To Watch In India?
The BWF World Championships 2026 are being held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi from August 17 to 23.
The tournament can be viewed through Sports18 and JioHotstar listed as the Indian platforms for the competition.
Hence fans can expect a packed Thursday of badminton, with Sindhu, Ayush and Satwik-Chirag carrying much of India's medal hopes as the tournament moves towards the knockout stages.