Table Tennis
ITTF World Cup 2026: Manika Batra, Manav Thakkar lead India’s challenge – Preview
Indian paddlers face tough group stage draws as World Cup begins on March 30 in China.
Manika Batra advances to the second round of the ITTF World Championships 2025. (Photo credit: Jio Cinema)
India’s top paddlers, led by Manika Batra and Manav Thakkar, are set to take on the world’s best as the ITTF World Cup 2026 begins on March 30 in Macao, China.
With 96 players competing across men’s and women’s singles events, the tournament promises high-quality action, and India will be represented by three players: Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula in the women’s draw, and Manav Thakkar in the men’s competition.
Tough Group Stage draws for Indian players
The tournament begins with a round-robin group stage, where 48 players in each draw are split into 16 groups of three. Only the group winners progress to the knockout stage.
Manika Batra finds herself in a challenging Group 4 alongside World No. 5, Miwa Harimoto (Japan), and World No. 42 Lily Zhang (USA).
Ranked 47th, Batra will need a strong showing to break through.
Sreeja Akula, placed in Group 2, faces an even tougher test with World No. 2 Wang Manyu (China) and Fu Yu (Portugal).
Meanwhile, in the men’s draw, Manav Thakkar is grouped with World No. 2, Truls Möregårdh (Sweden), and Park Gang-hyeon (South Korea).
Currently ranked 33rd, Thakkar will be aiming to upset higher-ranked opponents and push into the knockouts.
Format: Two-stage competition
The ITTF World Cup follows a two-phase structure:
- Group Stage: Round-robin format (3 players per group)
- Knockouts: Top players advance to Round of 16
Match Format:
- Group stage matches: Best of 5 games
- Knockout matches: Best of 7 games
India still chasing first World Cup medal
India is yet to win a medal at the ITTF World Cup. In the 2025 edition, both Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula exited in the group stage, highlighting the challenge ahead this year.
With a stronger field and tougher draws, the Indian trio will be aiming to break new ground in 2026.
ITTF World Cup 2026: Full Schedule (IST)
March 30 (Monday): Group Stage – Round 1 (from 7:00 AM)
March 31 (Tuesday): Group Stage – Round 2 (from 7:00 AM)
April 1 (Wednesday): Group Stage – Round 3 (from 7:00 AM)
April 2–3 (Thursday–Friday): Round of 16 (from 8:30 AM)
April 4 (Saturday): Quarter-finals (8:30 AM) & Semi-finals (3:30 PM)
April 5 (Sunday): Finals (from 8:30 AM)
Where to Watch ITTF World Cup 2026 Live in India
Fans in India can watch live streaming of the ITTF World Cup 2026 on the official ITTF YouTube channel. There will be no live TV broadcast available in India.