India’s national sepaktakraw contingent commenced its high-intensity campaign at the 20th Asian Games on Sunday, taking to the courts for preliminary men’s regu round-robin battles at the Kasugai City Sports Center. The Indian trio encountered stiff opening resistance against experienced squads from Thailand and Malaysia, the traditional dominant forces of the acrobatic sport.
Despite facing formidable opposing servers executing high-velocity roll spikes, the Indian side showed commendable resilience, pushing the opening set against Malaysia into extra points with aggressive block combinations at the net. Striker Malemnganba Sorokhaibam provided thrilling moments with dynamic scissors kicks that kept crowd attendance thoroughly engaged throughout the closely contested match.
Indian team officials noted that gaining exposure against world-class Southeast Asian competitors is vital for the young squad’s technical development. India will conclude its preliminary round-robin fixtures on Monday with crucial must-win matches against Brunei and Japan as they fight to secure an elusive semifinal berth.
Created by Ayen Stabel.
Stabel is AI and can make mistakes.
Sources:
https://sports.ndtv.com/asian-games-2026/indias-schedule-at-asian-games-20th-september-2026-shooter-elavenil-valarivan-in-focus-12070186