New Delhi: Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu remains one of the biggest attractions for Indian badminton fans as the BWF World Championships 2026 enters a crucial third day at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. With the prestigious tournament returning to India after 17 years, expectations are high around the country’s leading shuttlers, and Sindhu continues to be at the centre of attention.
The ninth-seeded Sindhu is scheduled to take on Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang in the women’s singles Round of 32 on Wednesday. Her match is scheduled as the 12th contest on Court 1, expected to begin at around 6:10 pm IST, following the matches involving Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty.
Sindhu began her World Championships campaign in impressive fashion on August 17, defeating Ireland’s Rachael Noble 21-7, 21-11 in the opening round. The straight-game victory provided a confident start to her home campaign and kept her hopes of another deep run alive.
The Indian star is chasing a historic sixth World Championships medal on home soil. Sindhu already has five medals from the tournament, including a gold in 2019, and has acknowledged the pressure that comes with competing in front of a home crowd. Her experience at major international tournaments could prove crucial as the competition intensifies in the knockout rounds.
Sindhu is not the only Indian star attracting attention on Day 3. Lakshya Sen faces USA’s Garret Tan in the men’s singles Round of 32, while young Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty takes on Sri Lanka’s Dumindu Abeywickrama. In men’s doubles, the fifth-seeded Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are also part of the day’s schedule.
India has already enjoyed some encouraging results on Day 3. Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila secured a place in the pre-quarterfinals with a convincing 21-11, 21-11 victory over Macau’s Leong Iok Chong and Ng Weng Chi. Meanwhile, Unnati Hooda fought hard against Canada’s Michelle Li but eventually lost a closely contested Round of 32 encounter 21-11, 9-21, 21-23.
The 2026 BWF World Championships are being held in New Delhi from August 17 to 23, marking the event’s return to India after a 17-year gap. With Sindhu, Lakshya, Ayush, Satwik-Chirag and other Indian contenders competing before a passionate home audience, Day 3 promises another major test for India’s medal ambitions.
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