The Maldives made a strong start to its second Group C fixture in the women’s table tennis team event at the 20th Asian Games Aichi–Nagoya 2026, with Fathimath Dheema Ali winning the opening encounter against Kazakhstan.
Facing Zhanerke Koshkumbayeva, Dheema secured a 3–1 victory to put the Maldives ahead in the team match. She edged the opening game 12–10 before Koshkumbayeva responded 11–5 in the second. Dheema regained control to take the third 11–5 and held her nerve in a closely contested fourth game, winning 13–11 to complete the victory.
Kazakhstan responded in the second encounter as Aishath Rafaa Nazim faced Zauresh Akasheva. After losing the opening two games 3–11 and 2–11, Rafaa produced a determined comeback, winning the next two 11–5 and 13–11 to force the match into a deciding fifth game.
Aishath Alsa Nafiz represented the Maldives in the third encounter against Sarvinoz Mirkadirova, who prevailed in straight games with scores of 11–5, 11–7 and 11–5. Kazakhstan subsequently secured the fourth encounter to conclude the team match with a 3–1 result.
The fixture was played at Sky Hall Toyota in Nagoya. South Korea and Kazakhstan will meet in the final Group C match.
