BWF World Championships 2023: HS Prannoy vs Kunlavut Vitidsarn, head-to-head, prediction, where to watch & live streaming details

Indian badminton star HS Prannoy takes on World No. 3 Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the semifinals of the BWF World Championships 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Saturday (August 26).

The Keralite produced a seismic shock at the global championships on Friday. Fighting from a game down, he sent the World No. 1 and defending champion Viktor Axelsen crashing out with a 13-21, 21-15, 21-16 victory on the latter's turf.

Thta not only paved the way for Prannoy's entry into the semifinals of the BWF World Championships for the first time but also secured his maiden medal in the elite competition. The incredible effort confirmed India's 14th medal at the world event.

The 31-year-old became the fifth Indian men's singles shuttler to bag a medal in this discipline, following Prakash Padukone (bronze), Sai Praneeth (bronze), Kidambi Srikanth (silver) and Lakshya Sen (bronze).

This was the ninth seed's second consecutive triumph over a former world champion this week, following his three-game demolition of 2021 winner Loh Kean Yew in the Round of 16.

Now standing between Prannoy and a dream final appearance at the BWF World Championships is third seed and last year's silver medalist Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand.

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BWF World Championships 2023, HS Prannoy vs Kunlavut Vitidsarn: Head-to-head and Prediction

Kunlavut Vitidsarn has a slender 1-0 lead over HS Prannoy in their head-to-head. The Thai earned a 21-15, 24-22 win over the Indian in their solitary face-off at the 2022 All England Open.

In what has been his most consistent season on tour, Prannoy has broken new ground with his win over Axelsen. Considering that the Dane is the reigning Olympic champion and two-time world champion, it's indeed a monumental feat for the Indian.

In fact, Axelsen had beaten Prannoy twice this season, but the Indian saved his best for the biggest tournament of them all.

The Pullela Gopichand protege has been on a roll this year. With a title at the Malaysia Masters and a runner-up finish at the Australian Open, he's playing with a newfound self-belief.

That will come in handy against yet another formidable opponent - three-time junior World Championships gold medalist Kunlavut Vitidsarn - on Saturday.

Kunlavut Vitidsarn in action at the Singapore Open 2023 (Image: Getty)

The 22-year-old has had his fair share of injuries this season but has delivered when it has mattered the most.

The Thai ended Lakshya Sen's quest for his second BWF World Championships medal in the pre-quarterfinals this week in three games. In the last eight, he battled against Wang Tzu Wei for yet another thrilling three-game victory.

Vitidsarn has reigned supreme this year at the India Open and the Thailand Open, apart from finishing as the runner-up at the US Open. There's no doubt about the immense talent he possesses, and that he's capable of making life difficult for the World No. 9 Prannoy.

Both HS Prannoy and Kunlavut Vitidsarn have spent more than an hour on court in their last couple of rounds. With a gold medal beckoning, it remains to be seen who has the energy and motivation to battle it out for the coveted final berth.

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BWF World Championships 2023, HS Prannoy vs Kunlavut Vitidsarn: Date and time

HS Prannoy and Kunlavut Vitidsarn lock horns in the men's singles semifinals at the BWF World Championships 2023 on Saturday in the eighth match of the day on Court 1.

Date: August 26, 2023

Round: Semifinals

Time: Approx. 4.30 pm local time; 8 pm IST

Venue: Royal Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark

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BWF World Championships 2023, HS Prannoy vs Kunlavut Vitidsarn: Where to watch & live streaming details

This BWF World Championships 2023 match will be broadcast live in India on the Sports18 1 and Sports18 1 HD channels. It will also be shown live on the Jio Cinema app.

Live streaming will be available on YouTube on BWF.TV too. Live scores can also be followed on the tournament software.