Quimcy D’Souza and Mohamed Anas Baig Reach Asian Games Teqball Bronze Medal Match After Repechage Win

India’s Quimcy D’Souza and Mohamed Anas Baig remain firmly in contention for a medal at the Asian Games 2026 after winning their Teqball Mixed Doubles repechage match on Friday. 

The Indian pair defeated the Philippines’ Jhoana Abulencia and Prince Agustin 12-3, 12-6 to book their place in the bronze-medal match. The result came after India had suffered a straight-games defeat to Vietnam in the quarterfinals earlier in the day. Rather than ending their campaign, the tournament format gave the Indian pair another route towards the podium through the repechage.

The bronze-medal match is scheduled for Sunday, with India's opponents to be determined.

D’Souza and Baig began their mixed doubles campaign with a victory over the same Philippines pairing they defeated in the repechage. In their opening Group A match, the Indian duo defeated Abulencia and Agustin 12-10, 12-3. After a closely fought opening set, India established control in the second and completed a straight-games victory. (The Tribune)

Their second group match against Cambodia proved considerably more challenging. The Cambodian pair of Bun Thuonvireak and Yorn Sophornraksmey won the opening set 12-8. India responded strongly to take the second 12-7 and force a deciding third game. The contest remained close until the end, but Cambodia prevailed 12-10.

India subsequently faced the top-seeded Thai pairing of Dejaroen Phakpong and Wongkhamchan Suphawadi. Thailand won the match 12-3, 12-8, leaving the Indian duo with one victory and two defeats heading into their final group encounter. 

With qualification at stake, D’Souza and Baig produced their most dominant performance of the group stage. The Indian pair defeated Kuwait’s Salman Alebraheem and Hessah Alfailakawi 12-1, 12-6 to finish the preliminary round with a 2-2 record. The victory secured their place in the quarterfinals, with India finishing third in Group A.  The result was particularly important because it showed the Indian pair's ability to respond after consecutive defeats. Having lost to Cambodia and Thailand, they entered their final group match knowing that a strong result was required to progress.

They delivered with a comprehensive straight-games victory.

Vietnam ends India's main-draw run

The quarterfinal presented a significantly tougher challenge as India faced Vietnam’s Gia Nghi Trinh and Hoang Minh Tan Nguyen. Vietnam took control of the opening set and won it 12-7. India improved their competitiveness in the second game, but the Vietnamese pair held their nerve in the closing stages to win 12-10.

The 0-2 defeat ended India's route to the gold and silver medal matches in the main bracket, but it did not eliminate them from the medal race. Under the competition format, the Indian pair moved into the repechage, where a victory would keep their hopes of a bronze medal alive. 

Facing a familiar opponent in the Philippines, D’Souza and Baig responded with authority. The Indian duo raced to a 12-3 victory in the opening set, establishing a substantial advantage early in the match. They maintained their control in the second set and closed it out 12-6. The 2-0 victory was enough to secure India's place in the bronze-medal match.

It also marked their second victory over the Philippines in the same tournament, although the margin was considerably more comfortable in the repechage.

D’Souza and Baig now have one more match in the mixed doubles competition, with a bronze medal at stakae on Sunday. Their route to the medal match has been anything but straightforward. They began with a victory, suffered a narrow three-set defeat against Cambodia, lost to the top-seeded Thai pairing and then responded with a dominant win over Kuwait to reach the quarterfinals.

The quarterfinal defeat against Vietnam temporarily ended their hopes of reaching the gold-medal contest, but the repechage system provided another opportunity. India took full advantage, defeating the Philippines convincingly to remain in the medal race. For D’Souza, the mixed doubles campaign is part of an even bigger Asian Games debut.

The Indian teqball player is also through to the women’s singles semifinals, where she will face Indonesia’s Ima Sumaya. A victory in that semifinal would guarantee D’Souza a medal in the individual event. That means D’Souza could potentially finish her Asian Games debut with medal opportunities in two events.

Teqball itself is making its Asian Games debut at Aichi-Nagoya 2026, making India's performance particularly significant as the sport establishes itself on the continental stage. 

For now, however, the immediate focus is on the mixed doubles bronze-medal match.

After navigating the group stage, recovering from a quarterfinal defeat and producing a commanding repechage performance, Quimcy D’Souza and Mohamed Anas Baig are one victory away from an Asian Games medal.

The Indian pair will return to the court on Sunday with bronze at stake and an opportunity to add a medal to India's first Asian Games Teqball campaign.