India mixed results on Day 6 at Aichi-Nagoya as shooting pair lead mixed team qualifier
India's athletes competed on Day 6 of the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Friday, September 25, 2026, producing mixed results across shooting, badminton, fencing, equestrian and squash.
Kamaljeet and Suruchi started strongly in the mixed team 10m air pistol qualification, firing 196 in their first 20 shots to sit atop the standings for now, while India's badminton, fencing and squash contingents recorded a range of outcomes across early-round matches.
In the 10m air pistol mixed team qualification, Kamaljeet and Suruchi's opening 196 places them temporarily first, with the top four pairs from qualification set to advance to the final; the event represents India's final chance for a medal in the 10m air pistol category after Kamaljeet finished ninth and Suruchi 26th in the individual qualification, with neither progressing to the individual final and India having missed medals in both the men's and women's team events.
India's individual badminton campaign began with Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto pairing in mixed doubles against Maldives' Aminath Abdul Razzaq and Nibal Ahmed, with the Indian duo winning the opening game 21-8.
The Indian men's team foil round of 16 tie against Hong Kong left India trailing after four relays: Sachin began with a 2-5 loss to Chun Choi, Hemash Singh followed with a 3-5 defeat leaving India 5-10 down, Aaditya then won 6-5 over Ka Long Cheung to cut the gap to 11-15, and Hong Kong extended the lead to 19-12 after the next relay in which 17-year-old Sachin struggled to find enough touches; India now face a difficult fightback with more relays still to come.
Equestrian horse fitness produced contrasting assessments when a horse declared "unfit" by the Equestrian Federation of India’s ad-hoc committee in Germany was declared "fit" by Asian Games organisers in Japan; Hriday Chheda's 19-year-old horse Dono Di Maggio cleared the mandatory veterinary inspection ahead of Friday’s dressage competition, prompting Chheda to question why Dono was declared unfit in Aachen and whether the assessment ordered by the ad-hoc committee was fair.
India recorded a strong day in squash with Anahat Singh, Tanvi Khanna, Abhay Singh and Veer Chotrani advancing to the singles quarterfinals, while Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar reached the mixed doubles quarterfinals in Aichi-Nagoya; junior world champion Anahat defeated Singapore's Wai Iynn Au Yeong 3-0 (11-4, 11-5, 11-7) in 19 minutes, and Tanvi Khanna beat Singapore's Wai Yhann Au Yeong 3-1 (5-11, 11-4, 11-5, 13-11) in 39 minutes.
Competition continues on Friday, September 25, with India scheduled to compete across shooting, swimming, hockey, athletics and squash and with the mixed team 10m air pistol qualification progressing toward a final in which the top four pairs will advance.