Day 10 of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya delivered high-stakes excitement for the Indian contingent.
Highlighting the morning sessions, Olympic medalist Lovlina Borgohain clinched a spot in the semi-finals to guarantee another medal, while martial artist Pincky Balhara earned India a bronze in Kurash. Meanwhile, rain-affected fixtures and intense qualification rounds tested Indian athletes across shooting, squash, archery, and cricket.
Boxing: Lovlina Borgohain Guarantees Medal
Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain delivered a commanding performance in the women’s 75kg quarter-final against South Korea’s Suyeon Seong. Utilizing her reach and sharp counter-jabbing, Lovlina swept all three rounds for a unanimous 5–0 win. The triumph places her into the semi-finals, assuring India of at least a bronze medal.
Kurash: Pincky Balhara Takes Bronze
In the women’s 78kg category, Pincky Balhara secured a bronze medal. After outclassing South Korea’s Garam Lim 3–0 in the quarter-finals, Balhara met reigning Asian Champion Mo Sumin in the semi-finals. Despite a 0–5 loss to Sumin, Balhara claimed bronze due to the absence of a third-place playoff, echoing her podium finish from 2018.
Shooting: Mixed Fortunes for India’s Pistol Trio
India’s campaign in the women’s 25m pistol event had contrasting outcomes.
- Esha Singh emerged as the sole Indian to enter the individual final, qualifying with 580 points. She quickly moved into top contention during the early elimination series of the final.
- Manu Bhaker missed out on the final after a tough rapid sequence left her in 11th place (579 points).
- Rahi Sarnobat finished 30th overall.
- In the team standings, India ended in 5th place, narrowly missing a podium position.
Cricket: Shreyas Iyer & Co. Advance Following Washout
India’s men’s cricket team kicked off their knockout campaign with a quarter-final fixture against Afghanistan. However, persistent rain caused the match to be called off without a ball bowled. By virtue of their higher tournament seeding, the Shreyas Iyer-led squad advanced to the semi-finals.
Squash, Archery, and Court Action
- Squash: The Indian men’s team swept China 3–0 thanks to dominant displays from Suraj Chand, Veer Chotrani, and Velavan Senthilkumar. The women’s team also sealed a hard-fought 2–1 victory against China, powered by crucial wins from Tanvi Khanna and Joshna Chinappa.
- Archery: In an all-Indian men’s compound individual Round of 16 encounter, Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru edged out teammate Sahil Jadhav 149–148 to advance to the quarter-finals. In the women’s draw, Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Chikitha Taniparthi both cleared their opponents to stay in medal contention.
- Volleyball: India earned a 3–0 straight-set victory over Hong Kong (25–22, 25–19, 25–21) to secure a quarter-final berth.
With track and field medal events lined up for the evening session—featuring Avinash Sable, Murali Sreeshankar, and Vithya Ramraj—India looks poised to add to its growing tally on Day 10.
