Asian Games 2026 Squash Schedule: Anahat Singh, Abhay Singh and India Begin Medal Hunt

India’s squash campaign at the Asian Games 2026 will begin on September 23, with the country fielding strong contenders across singles, mixed doubles and team events. 

The Indian challenge features established names such as Joshna Chinappa and Abhay Singh alongside emerging stars including Anahat Singh and Tanvi Khanna. The squash competition will be split into two phases. The individual and mixed doubles events will take place from September 23 to 27, followed by the team competitions from September 28 to October 2. India’s men’s team enters the tournament as the top seed, while the women’s team has been seeded third.

The opening day will see Indian players immediately involved in the knockout stages of the singles and mixed doubles competitions. In the men’s singles, second seed Abhay Singh will face Thailand’s Arkaradet Arkarahirunya in the Round of 32 from 10:30 a.m. Later, third/fourth seed Veer Chotrani will take on Sri Lanka’s Mohomed Shamil Mukthar Wakeel.

The women’s singles campaign will feature fifth/eighth seed Tanvi Khanna, who faces Korea’s Dami Kim at 11:15 a.m. India will also have two mixed doubles combinations in action. Velavan Senthilkumar and Joshna Chinappa will face the Indian pairing of Suraj Kumar Chand and Shameena Riaz in the Round of 32. The all-Indian contest means India is guaranteed representation in the next stage of the mixed doubles competition.

The individual draws will progress rapidly, with the Round of 16 scheduled for September 24 and the quarterfinals on September 25.

Anahat Singh joins the women's singles campaign.

One of the most anticipated names in India’s women’s squash contingent is Anahat Singh, who will enter the women’s singles competition from the Round of 16 on September 24. At just 20, Anahat has already established herself as one of the leading young players in Indian squash. Her presence gives India another strong medal prospect in a tournament where every match will carry increasing significance as the knockout rounds progress.

The women’s singles quarterfinals will take place on September 25, followed by the semifinals on September 26. The bronze-medal match and final are scheduled for September 27. The men’s singles competition follows the same compressed format, with the quarterfinals on September 25, semifinals on September 26 and medal matches on September 27.

The mixed doubles draw could also offer India a significant opportunity. With Velavan Senthilkumar and Joshna Chinappa among the combinations, India will be looking to make the most of its depth in the discipline. The mixed doubles quarterfinals will be played on September 25, followed by the semifinals on September 26. The final is scheduled for September 27 at 11 a.m.

That makes September 27 the first major medal day for Indian squash, with the mixed doubles final followed by the men’s and women’s singles finals.

After the individual competitions conclude, the focus will shift to the team events. India’s men’s team has been given the top seeding and has been drawn in Pool A alongside China and Korea. The women’s team, seeded third, will compete in Pool C with China, Japan and Iran. (IANS News)

The team competition begins on September 28, when India’s women face China at 6:30 a.m. and Japan at noon. The men’s team will also have a demanding opening day, taking on China at 8:30 a.m. before facing Korea at 2 p.m. The women then meet Iran on September 29 at 6:30 a.m., completing their pool-stage schedule.

The results of the pool matches will determine progression into the knockout rounds. Both the men’s and women’s team quarterfinals are scheduled for September 30, followed by the semifinals on October 1.

The final day of squash at the Asian Games will be October 2, when the women’s team final begins at 10 a.m., followed by the men’s team final at noon.

India’s squad combines experience and youth at a crucial stage for the sport. Joshna Chinappa is entering her seventh Asian Games, while players such as Anahat Singh represent the next generation of Indian squash. The men’s side will be led by a group featuring Abhay Singh, Veer Chotrani and Velavan Senthilkumar, with the top seeding underlining India’s medal ambitions in the team event.

The structure of the competition also means India’s campaign could stretch across 10 days, beginning with individual and mixed doubles action before moving into the team tournament.

For the Indian contingent, the immediate objective will be to convert strong seedings and individual rankings into podium finishes. The team events will then provide another chance to challenge for medals, with both Indian teams facing strong Asian opposition in the pool stage. With several medal opportunities across singles, mixed doubles and team events, squash will be one of the sports to watch closely during the Asian Games 2026.

Asian Games 2026 Squash Schedule

September 23

7:30 a.m. onwards — Mixed Doubles Round of 32
Velavan Senthilkumar & Joshna Chinappa vs Suraj Kumar Chand & Shameena Riaz

10:30 a.m. onwards — Men’s Singles Round of 32
Abhay Singh vs Arkaradet Arkarahirunya (Thailand)

11:15 a.m. onwards — Women’s Singles Round of 32
Tanvi Khanna vs Dami Kim (Korea)

12 noon onwards — Men’s Singles Round of 32
Veer Chotrani vs Mohomed Shamil Mukthar Wakeel (Sri Lanka)

September 24

8 a.m. onwards — Mixed Doubles Round of 16
Velavan Senthilkumar & Joshna Chinappa vs Suraj Kumar Chand & Shameena Riaz

10:30 a.m. onwards — Women’s Singles Round of 16
Anahat Singh

11:15 a.m. onwards — Men’s Singles Round of 16

September 25

6:30 a.m. onwards — Mixed Doubles Quarterfinals
8:30 a.m. onwards — Women’s Singles Quarterfinals
9:15 a.m. onwards — Men’s Singles Quarterfinals

September 26

8:30 a.m. onwards — Mixed Doubles Semifinals
10:30 a.m. onwards — Women’s Singles Semifinals
11:15 a.m. onwards — Men’s Singles Semifinals

September 27

8:30 a.m. onwards — Women’s Singles Bronze Medal Match
9:15 a.m. onwards — Men’s Singles Bronze Medal Match
11 a.m. onwards — Mixed Doubles Final
12:30 p.m. onwards — Men’s Singles Final
1:30 p.m. onwards — Women’s Singles Final

September 28

6:30 a.m. onwards — Women’s Team Pool C: India vs China
8:30 a.m. onwards — Men’s Team Pool A: India vs China
12 noon onwards — Women’s Team Pool C: India vs Japan
2 p.m. onwards — Men’s Team Pool A: India vs Korea

September 29

6:30 a.m. onwards — Women’s Team Pool C: India vs Iran

September 30

6:30 a.m. onwards — Men’s & Women’s Team Quarterfinals

October 1

7 a.m. onwards — Men’s & Women’s Team Semifinals

October 2

10 a.m. onwards — Women’s Team Final
12 noon onwards — Men’s Team Final