Nihal Sarin, Arjun Erigaisi in Esports World Cup playoffs but Pranesh M bows out

The Indian Esports scene experienced a rollercoaster of emotions at the Esports World Cup 2026. On Wednesday, the day started with disappointment as three Indian players, Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin, and Pranesh M, were eliminated early on. However, the tide turned dramatically on Thursday, with two of those players managing to reclaim their spots in the playoffs.

Arjun and Nihal joined an elite group that includes chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, US chess prodigy Hikaru Nakamura, and others at the Paris Expo de Versailles. The path was particularly challenging for Nihal and Pranesh, who faced tough opponents in the lower bracket. Nihal lost his quarterfinal to Chinese Grandmaster Wei Yi, who is known for his strong play.

Despite losing several games, Nihal managed to secure a win in the Armageddon game, securing his place in the playoffs against Jan-Krzysztof Duda. Arjun, on the other hand, defeated Pranesh M in their quarterfinal match, advancing to face Duda in the same round. Pranesh's campaign ended with a loss to Dutch GM Benjamin Bok, marking him as the second Indian player to be eliminated from the tournament after Aravindh Chithambaram.

Meanwhile, Hans Niemann and Deniz Lazavik sealed their spots in the top eight by winning their respective group matches.