World Juniors 2025: Flawless India Triumphs; Sri Lanka’s Late Resurgence Topples UAE

The BWF World Junior Mixed Team Championships, now rebranded as the Suhandinata Cup, burst into action on October 6, 2025, at the Shillong Sports Complex in Guwahati, India, under a groundbreaking new relay-scoring format that promises high-octane excitement. As the host nation, seeded second, India wasted no time asserting their dominance, cruising past Nepal with commanding scores of 45-18 and 45-17 in their Group H opener. This victory marked a flawless debut for the young Indian shuttlers, who smartly utilized the tournament's flexible substitution rules to rotate their lineup across the five disciplines—men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles—ensuring every player gained valuable match experience. The event's innovative best-of-three sets format, where each set tallies up to 45 points through rapid-fire mini-matches, kept the energy levels soaring, setting the tone for what could be India's most memorable campaign yet.

Leading the charge for India was the formidable former world junior No. 1 boys' doubles duo of Bhargav Ram Arigela and Viswa Tej Gobburu, who kicked off proceedings with a swift 9-3 triumph over Nepal's Kabir KC and Suprim Panta, establishing an unassailable early lead. In the women's singles, Unnati Hooda and Asian U-19 Championships bronze medalist Tanvi Sharma delivered clinical performances, while Suryansh Rawat and Rounak Chouhan eased through their men's singles assignments without a hint of pressure. Hooda, a recent quarterfinalist at the China Open, adapted seamlessly to the relay format despite it being her first exposure, crediting her success to an intensified pre-match warm-up routine that emphasized immediate court readiness. "In the traditional 21-point games, I take my time warming up, but here we must be sharp from the very first point," she noted, highlighting how the format demands peak intensity without inter-match breaks. This strategic experimentation not only secured the win but also built confidence and rhythm for tougher battles ahead.

While India enjoyed a straightforward stroll, the real drama unfolded in the Group H clash between Sri Lanka and the UAE, where an underdog tale gripped the stadium in a thriller that went down to the wire. Trailing after a lopsided first set loss of 30-45, Sri Lanka capitalized on UAE's tactical switch in men's singles—replacing Bharath Latheesh with Riyan Malhan—to mount a stunning resurgence. Keneth Aruggoda, who had faltered 4-9 earlier, bounced back emphatically with a 9-6 victory in the second set, propelling his team to a 45-34 turnaround. The decider was a rollercoaster: Aruggoda's 9-5 start was extended to 18-8 by Ranthima Liyanage's dominance in women's singles, only for UAE's Malhan and Latheesh to claw back with a gritty 15-9 men's doubles win, narrowing the gap to 23-27. The finale hinged on the women's doubles showdown, with UAE's Prakriti Bharath and Mysha Omar Khan trailing 30-36 and needing 15 points to steal the tie. They surged to 44-44, serving for victory, but faltered at the crucial moment, allowing Sandathi Hewagallage and Pawani Illeperumaarachichi to seal a 45-44 escape for Sri Lanka in an unforgettable finish.

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Elsewhere, the top seeds breezed through their assignments, underscoring the event's global hierarchy. Fourteen-time champions China dismantled Ghana 45-14, 45-10; Indonesia outlasted the Philippines 45-27, 45-40; and South Korea overcame Hungary 45-22, 45-29, all in straight sets. Other notable results included Chinese Taipei's 45-24, 45-19 win over Brazil; Denmark's 45-40, 45-22 edging of the Netherlands; France's 45-16, 45-24 rout of Norway; and the USA's hard-fought 45-42, 45-30 victory against Vietnam. As the championships progress, India eyes a pivotal Group H showdown with Sri Lanka on Tuesday, followed by the UAE on Wednesday, where the hosts' depth and adaptability could propel them deep into the knockout stages. With such electric starts and nail-biting narratives, the Suhandinata Cup is already living up to its promise of unbridled junior badminton brilliance.

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