The Thomas Cup is an international team championship associated with which sport?

Introduction / Context:
Many major sports have prestigious world team championships that are identified by special trophy names. The Thomas Cup is one of the most famous of these in a particular racquet sport. This question tests whether you can correctly match the Thomas Cup with its sport, which is a common topic in sports general knowledge sections of competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The trophy name given is “Thomas Cup.”
• Answer options list badminton, cricket, football, basketball, and table tennis.
• We assume the question refers to the well known men's world team championship recognised by the relevant international federation.
• Only one sport in the list has such a major world team event called the Thomas Cup.

Concept / Approach:
The Thomas Cup is the world men's team championship in badminton, organised by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). It is sometimes compared to the World Cup in football or the Davis Cup in tennis, but for badminton. The competition involves national teams playing singles and doubles matches. No equivalent famous tournament with this name exists in cricket, football, basketball, or table tennis, so badminton is the correct association.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that Thomas Cup is a team event rather than an individual title.Step 2: Recall that the Thomas Cup is widely described as the world men's team championship in badminton.Step 3: Compare this knowledge with the choices given: badminton, cricket, football, basketball, and table tennis.Step 4: Confirm that other sports have different trophy names, such as World Cup (football), Cricket World Cup, and NBA championship.Step 5: Select badminton as the sport associated with the Thomas Cup.

Verification / Alternative check:
A good way to verify is to remember that badminton has two major world team events: the Thomas Cup for men and the Uber Cup for women. These two are usually mentioned together. Match reports and headlines often refer to countries winning the Thomas Cup to claim global dominance in men's badminton. No such context appears in coverage of cricket, football, or basketball, which confirms that badminton is the correct sport.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Cricket's major world event is the ICC Cricket World Cup, not the Thomas Cup. Football has the FIFA World Cup and continental trophies such as the UEFA European Championship. Basketball features tournaments like the FIBA World Cup and professional leagues, but no Thomas Cup. Table tennis has the World Team Championships and other titles, yet it does not use this name. Hence, these sports cannot be correctly linked with the Thomas Cup.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates confuse the Thomas Cup with the Davis Cup in tennis or with cricket and football World Cups because they all sound like important trophies. Others may guess cricket or football simply because those sports are more popular. To avoid such errors, it is useful to memorise trophy lists grouped by sport, remembering that Thomas Cup equals men's badminton world team championship.

Final Answer:
The Thomas Cup is the world men's team championship in badminton.