Pressure proved decisive as India's teqball bid falls short at Asian Games

India's hopes of securing a teqball medal at the 2026 Asian Games came to an end on Sunday as Quimcy Dsouza, the nation's leading player in the sport, fell short in two bronze-medal playoff matches.

Dsouza's elimination from contention marked a disappointing conclusion to India's teqball participation at the regional championship. The athlete has pointed to psychological factors as a key reason behind the underwhelming performance, with the pressure of competing at Asia's premier sporting event proving difficult to manage.

Teqball, a sport that combines elements of table tennis and football, has been gaining traction in India in recent years. However, the Asian Games results highlight the challenges Indian athletes face when competing against more established programmes from neighbouring countries.

Dsouza's candid assessment of his performance underscores the mental demands placed on individual athletes representing India on the continental stage. The missed medal opportunity will likely prompt Indian teqball officials to focus on psychological preparation and training methodologies for future competitions.