Broadcast on the Star Sports network and streamed on JioHotstar, the tie will take place at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium

Goa, July 25, 2026: The second finalist of Butterfly Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Season 7 Powered by ChatGPT will be decided on Saturday as reigning champions U Mumba TT take on HVR Kolkata Thunder Blades in a blockbuster semifinal at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium. Awaiting the winners are unbeaten league leaders Dempo Goa Challengers, who became the first team to reach the final after defeating Dabang Delhi TTC on Friday.

The semifinal brings together two sides that have enjoyed contrasting journeys. U Mumba recovered from two opening defeats to string together consecutive league victories and successfully defend their playoff place, while first-time semifinalists Kolkata built momentum through a breakthrough campaign powered by their Indian core. Their only meeting this season produced a thriller, with Kolkata edging U Mumba 8-7.

Staged under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani, Butterfly UTT Season 7 features 42 players from around the world, including 14 Olympians, while continuing to strengthen the Indian table tennis ecosystem through elite competition and year-round development initiatives.

U Mumba's resurgence has been driven by a balanced lineup led by captain Manush Shah, Anna Hursey, and Lilian Bardet. Bardet has emerged as one of the standout foreign players of Season 7, leading the league with 81 forehand winners, while Hursey has won 10 games in the women's singles. The reigning champions have switched between Nithyashree Mani and Anusha Kutumbale for the second Women’s Singles, throwing their opponents plenty of curveballs.

Kolkata, however, possess enough firepower of their own. Ankur Bhattacharjee has been among the league's most consistent performers, finishing the league stage with 10 game wins, while Ayhika Mukherjee, Zeng Jian and Eduard Ionescu have all delivered crucial performances throughout the season. Zeng's aggressive approach has yielded 83 forehand winners, among the highest in the women's competition, while Kolkata's settled lineup has repeatedly delivered under pressure.

The contest is expected to feature several marquee battles, including a potential meeting between Ankur and Manush, while the clash between Bardet and Ionescu could prove equally pivotal. Having already defeated the defending champions once this season, Kolkata will believe they can repeat the feat, while U Mumba will be determined to avenge that defeat and keep their title defence alive.

Butterfly UTT Season 7 Schedule

July 25, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Semi-Final 2: HVR Kolkata Thunder Blades vs U Mumba TT

Butterfly UTT Season 7 Teams

HVR Kolkata Thunder Blades: Ankur Bhattacharjee, Ayhika Mukherjee, Eduard Ionescu (Romania), Taneesha Kotecha, Zeng Jian (Singapore), Jeet Chandra

U Mumba TT: Manush Shah, Akash Pal, Lilian Bardet (France), Anna Hursey (Wales), Nityashree Mani, Anusha Kutumbale