BWF World Championships 2026: Ayush, Lakshya, Unnati and Sindhu Face Crucial Round of 32 Tests

India's singles contingent will face another important test at the BWF World Championships 2026 in New Delhi on Wednesday, with four of the country's leading shuttlers taking the court in the Round of 32.

Ayush Shetty, Lakshya Sen, Unnati Hooda and PV Sindhu will all be in action, with each tie carrying its own storyline. While Ayush will look to build on his stunning first-round victory over defending champion Shi Yuqi, Lakshya will face USA's Garret Tan. Unnati Hooda faces the highest-ranked opponent among the four in Canada's Michelle Li, while two-time world champion PV Sindhu takes on Wen Yu Zhang.

The Round of 32 is where the tournament begins to take shape, and a victory for each of the four Indians would take them into the pre-quarterfinals and within one win of the quarterfinal stage.

Ayush Shetty enters his Round of 32 match against Sri Lanka's Dumindu Abe­ywikrama with confidence, but also with a difficult head-to-head record. The Indian is seeded 22nd, while Dumindu is ranked 87th. The two have previously met once, with Dumindu holding a 1-0 head-to-head advantage.

However, rankings and previous meetings will carry little weight after what Ayush achieved in his opening match. The young Indian stunned defending world champion and world No. 1 Shi Yuqi, producing one of the biggest results of the tournament. Ayush showed remarkable composure in the deciding game after Shi fought back from a significant deficit.

That victory has changed the expectations around his campaign. Ayush now has an opportunity to reach the pre-quarterfinals of the World Championships for the first time. The challenge will be to avoid complacency and reproduce the intensity and discipline that helped him overcome Shi.

The Sri Lankan will also have the psychological advantage of having beaten Ayush previously, making this a potentially intriguing contest.

Lakshya Sen faces Garret Tan

Lakshya Sen, seeded 14th, will take on USA's Garret Tan, ranked 92nd in the world. Unlike Ayush's match, no previous head-to-head record has been provided between the two players, meaning Wednesday's contest will represent a fresh matchup. Lakshya began his World Championships campaign with a comeback victory over Austria's Collins Filimon. After losing the opening game 16-21, the Indian completely changed the momentum, winning the next two games 21-8, 21-4.

That performance was particularly encouraging because Lakshya initially struggled with the court conditions and drift. Once he adapted, however, he took complete control. The former World Championships bronze medallist will now be expected to handle the pressure of being the higher-ranked player. Tan's ranking suggests Lakshya enters as the favourite, but the Indian will know that every Round of 32 match at a World Championships requires concentration from the first point.

A win would put Lakshya into the pre-quarterfinals and keep his campaign moving towards another deep run on the world stage.

Unnati Hooda faces experienced Michelle Li

One of the most anticipated women's singles matches of the day will see 18-year-old Unnati Hooda take on Canada's Michelle Li. The rankings make this a fascinating contest. Unnati is seeded 26th and ranked 26th in the world, while Li is ranked 13th and seeded 13th. The head-to-head record also favours the Canadian, who leads 1-0.

Unnati, however, has already shown impressive composure in her World Championships debut. She defeated Myanmar's Thet Htar Thuzar in straight games, 22-20, 21-16, after navigating a tense opening game. The match against Li will be a considerably bigger challenge. The Canadian brings years of experience at the international level and has previously won the Commonwealth Games title.

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For Unnati, the key will be maintaining the confidence she displayed in the opening round while managing the different court conditions and the pressure of facing a higher-ranked opponent.

Sindhu starts as favourite against Zhang

PV Sindhu, seeded ninth, will face Canada's Wen Yu Zhang, who is ranked 49th. The head-to-head record gives Sindhu a significant advantage, with the Indian leading 2-0. Sindhu's experience at the World Championships remains one of her biggest strengths. The Indian is a two-time world champion and has consistently delivered at this tournament across her career.

Zhang will therefore face one of the most experienced players in the draw. For Sindhu, the objective will be straightforward: maintain control, avoid allowing the Canadian to settle into long rallies and secure a place in the Round of 16.

India's four singles players enter Wednesday's Round of 32 with contrasting assignments.

• Ayush Shetty vs Dumindu Abey­wikrama — a lower-ranked opponent but one who leads their head-to-head 1-0.

• Lakshya Sen vs Garret Tan — a first meeting against a lower-ranked American.

• Unnati Hooda vs Michelle Li — the toughest ranking challenge of the four, with Li ranked 13th.

• PV Sindhu vs Wen Yu Zhang — a contest where Sindhu holds a 2-0 head-to-head advantage.

With all four Indians already through the opening round, Wednesday offers another opportunity to strengthen India's challenge at the home World Championships.

The road to the medals is getting shorter. For Ayush, Lakshya, Unnati and Sindhu, the next step is the Round of 32 and each victory will bring them one step closer to the business end of the tournament.