2025: Indian athletes made a mark in the world championships

Story by ATV | Posted by Aasha Khosa | Date 21-12-2025

Indian Sportspersons

Aamna Farooq/New Delhi

The year 2025 proved to be a memorable one for Indian sports. India's successes, particularly in team events, generated a new wave of enthusiasm and passion in the sporting world.

Amidst the ups and downs and some controversies, numerous achievements and milestones filled the nation with pride. Along with cricket, athletics, chess, kabaddi, hockey, and squash also made a strong presence in 2025.

Indian athletes broke major barriers and achieved long-awaited honours. From historic victories on the global stage to individual achievements, this year proved India's growing strength and continued progress in various sports.

Indian athletes who made a mark

India's sporting prowess was also recognised at the administrative level, and the country was officially awarded the right to host the Commonwealth Games 2030. It can be said that this farewell year was not a disappointing one for the sporting world.

Whether it was men or women, everyone raised the tricolour on their respective grounds. Even in blind cricket, India's dominance was clearly visible.

In 2025, the Indian men's cricket team proved its superiority by winning the ICC Champions Trophy. Held in Pakistan and the UAE in February and March, Team India, led by Rohit Sharma, finished unbeaten in the group stage and defeated New Zealand by four wickets in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

India's journey included impressive victories against Bangladesh and traditional rivals Pakistan, further cementing its dominance in limited-overs cricket.

The invincible Indian eleven

This was India's third Champions Trophy; the team had previously won the title in 2002 and 2013. Several individual records were set during the tournament. Virat Kohli became the fastest player to reach 14,000 runs in ODI cricket, Mohammed Shami took 200 ODI wickets, and Rohit Sharma set the record for the most sixes in ICC ODI tournaments.

Team India's second major success in 2025 was the Asia Cup, held in the United Arab Emirates from September 9 to September 28. India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the final to win the title for the ninth time.

India made history in women's cricket by winning the ICC Women's World Cup for the first time in 2025. This was a landmark achievement in the history of Indian women's sports. This success was not a fluke, but the result of years of hard work and struggle.

Indian team after winning Hero Asia Cup in Hockey

This victory wasn't just a trophy, but the culmination of decades of hard work in women's cricket. The tournament was held from September 30 to November 2, and the final was played at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, where India, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, defeated South Africa by 52 runs.

India finished fourth in the league stage, but performed brilliantly in the knockout matches, reaching the final and defeating Australia in the semi-finals. Following this historic victory, the BCCI announced a cash prize of ₹51 crore for the team.

Additionally, the ICC announced a prize money of US$4.5 million, equivalent to approximately ₹397.8 million in Indian currency. This brings the total prize money for the Indian women's team to approximately ₹123 crore.

Women's Blind team which lifted World Championship

India also achieved a major milestone in blind cricket when the Indian team won the inaugural Blind Women's T20 World Cup. Teams from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, and the United States participated in the tournament. The Indian team remained unbeaten throughout the tournament and won the title. The Indian players defeated Sri Lanka, Australia, and Pakistan, and made history by defeating Nepal in the final.

Hockey also gave Indian fans something to celebrate after a long time, when the Indian hockey team lifted the Asia Cup trophy in September 2025. India defeated South Korea 4–1 in the final.

Indian women with World Cup

This victory secured India the Asia Cup after eight years and also qualified the team for the upcoming World Cup. The tournament was held in Rajgir, Bihar, in August and September, where hosts India performed admirably, remaining unbeaten in the group stage and then defeating South Korea in the final to win the title.

The Super Four stage saw a remarkable performance by both young and experienced players under captain Harmanpreet Singh. This victory marked a breakthrough from the weaknesses of the past few years, with improved tactics and a strong defense.

India also strengthened its presence in the Paralympic Games. The 2025 World Para Athletics Championships were held for the first time in India's capital, New Delhi, from September 27 to October 5.

Host India won a total of 22 medals, including 6 gold, 9 silver, and 7 bronze, finishing tenth in the overall medal tally, their best ever. India had previously won 17 medals at the 2024 Championships in Kobe, Japan.

Neeraj Chopra

This time, the Indian contingent consisted of 73 athletes, including 54 men and 19 women. At the competition, Indian athletes set three championship records, seven Asian records, and recorded over 30 personal bests. More than 2,000 athletes from 104 countries participated in this global competition.

In addition to team achievements, Indian athletes also brought glory to the country on an individual level. In javelin throw, Neeraj Chopra made history by throwing the javelin for over 90 meters, marking a new chapter in Indian athletics.

In chess, D. Gukesh achieved a major milestone by becoming the World Chess Champion. In shooting, Manu Bhaker was awarded the National Sports Award, while Samrat Rana became the World Champion in the 10-meter air pistol event. In archery, Jyothi Surekha Vennam made history by winning the bronze medal in compound archery, becoming the first Indian woman to win a medal at the World Cup Finals.

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Thus, 2025 proved to be a year of breaking new ground for Indian sports. These achievements stood as symbols of courage, innovation, and collective joy. The strong foundation laid this year raises hopes for even greater heights in 2026. Hopefully, the coming year will bring more medals, titles, and memorable stories.