Jay Meena Advances to Soft Tennis Quarters as India Dominates

Jay Meena needed barely a heartbeat to make his mark.

On a busy Tuesday at the Asian Games, the Indian soft tennis player cruised into the quarterfinals with a ruthless 4-0 win over Pakistan’s Arain Hussain in Group D, a statement victory that underlined both control and composure. There were no frayed nerves, no late drama. Just clean, efficient shot-making and a one-sided scoreline to show for it.

The win propels Jay into Wednesday’s quarterfinal, where he will face the Philippines’ Sherwin Nuguit on September 23, 2026. The stakes rise sharply there, but if his group-stage performance is any indication, he arrives with momentum and a touch of swagger.

Mandhana masterclass sets tone

The Indian women’s cricket team produced the kind of performance that silences doubt and crushes resistance. Sri Lanka walked in looking tense; they walked out thoroughly outplayed.

Smriti Mandhana seized control of the innings and never let it go. Her 79 was the spine, the spark and the statement. Timing crisp, placement precise, she steered India to a commanding 216/3, a total that felt above par the moment it went up on the board.

India didn’t slog their way there. They built, they accelerated, and they finished with authority. Every over tightened the screws on a Sri Lankan attack that struggled to find rhythm, line, or any real answer to Mandhana’s fluency.

Deepti leads ruthless bowling display

If the batting set the stage, the bowlers tore it down.

India’s attack came out with clear plans and sharper execution, suffocating Sri Lanka from the first over. Wickets fell, pressure mounted, and any hint of a chase evaporated long before the final collapse.

Deepti Sharma anchored the performance with miserly control, finishing with an economy rate of 1.50. That number tells its own story. She didn’t just keep things tight; she shut the door completely. Around her, the rest of the bowling unit hunted in packs, hitting their areas and forcing mistakes as Sri Lanka stumbled to just 69.

A 147-run victory at this level is not routine. It’s a demolition.

A rising mood around India’s campaign

One result in soft tennis, another in women’s cricket, both pulling in the same direction: confidence.

Jay Meena heads into his quarterfinal against Sherwin Nuguit with a dominant win behind him and a clear path to test himself deeper in the tournament. The women’s cricket side, fresh off a 147-run hammering of Sri Lanka, have shown they can impose themselves on big days, with Mandhana and Deepti setting the standard.

On days like this, a campaign can start to feel different. The question now is how far this edge, this control, can carry India across the rest of the Games.