The team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty on Friday defeated second seeds and reigning gold medallists from Japan Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi to make it to the semifinal of the Badminton World Championships in Tokyo. In the process, they secured India’s first ever men’s doubles medal in the history of the World Championships.

The seventh seeded pair took an hour and 15 minutes to come up with 24-22, 15-21, 21-14 win and ensure the Indian contingent returns with at least one medal from the World Championship, a streak which continues from 2011.

BWF World C’ships: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty after assuring medal – ‘Not done yet’

Incidentally, in 2011, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa had ended a long wait for a medal at the event that had been ongoing since 1983. They now have company in Satwik-Chirag as the only other doubles medal winners at the event.

They next take on sixth seeds Aaron Chia and Wooi Yik Soh of Malaysia in the semifinal.

Watch highlights here:

BWF World C’ships, Day 5 blog: Prannoy bows out, Satwik-Chirag secure historic medal