Year 2025 proved to be a watershed moment in Indian sports, marked by extraordinary achievements across disciplines – from cricket field to the para-athletics track and the boxing ring.
Let’s have a look at India’s landmark triumphs in sports in 2025 that reflect not just isolated successes but a sustained growth in India’s sporting ecosystem. They are proof of rising infrastructure, better support systems, and a generation of athletes ready to compete – and win – on the world stage.
ICC Champions Trophy Victory
Indian men’s cricket team secured its third ICC Champions Trophy in March 2025, overcoming New Zealand in the final in Dubai. This victory was particularly sweet as it marked the first time India defeated Kiwis in an ICC final and capped an undefeated campaign for the team. Star performer Rohit Sharma was named Player of the Match for his crucial half-century in the final.
Asia Cup triumph
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Suryakumar Yadav-led India on their Asia Cup 2025 triumph, referencing “Operation Sindoor” as a symbol of victory. Following the win against Pakistan, team India dedicated their victory to victims of Pahalgam terror attack.
Chess World Title and Final
In a historic moment for Indian chess, Divya Deshmukh defeated veteran Koneru Humpy in an all-India FIDE Women’s World Cup final to clinch the championship. This was India’s first-ever title in the tournament and made Divya the fourth Indian woman to become a Grandmaster. The match between the two top-ranked Indian women players further solidified India’s growing dominance in global chess.
Cricket Success for Indian Women
A landmark achievement in Indian sports came from women’s cricket, as India secured their inaugural ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title. Led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, the team triumphed over South Africa in a nail-biting final. The win has been celebrated as a ‘1983 moment’ for women’s cricket, echoing the legendary 1983 men’s World Cup victory.
Athletics Brilliance
Indian athletes demonstrated exceptional talent and potential in 2025, with several new national records set and promising results in international meets.
100m (Men’s) – Animesh Kujur | 10.18s | Dromia International Sprint and Relays 2025
Javelin Throw (Men’s) – Neeraj Chopra | 90.23m | Doha Diamond League 2025
3000m (Men’s) – Gulveer Singh | 7:34.49 | Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix 2025
Decathlon (Men’s) – Tejaswin Shankar | 7826 points | Wiesław Czapiewski Memorial 2025
World Para Athletics Championships
India’s para-athletes delivered a spectacular, record-breaking performance at World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi. The contingent secured a total of 22 medals – six gold, nine silver, and seven bronze – finishing 10th in the medal tally and setting three championship and seven Asian records.
Boxing
In boxing, Jaismine Lamboria made headlines by securing the gold medal in the women’s 57 kg category at the 2025 World Boxing Championships in Liverpool. The Indian contingent’s performance was further boosted by Nupur, who earned silver in the +80 kg division, marking one of India’s most successful campaigns in world boxing history.
Badminton Breakthroughs
Lakshya Sen ended a difficult phase by winning the Australian Open Super 500 title, defeating Japan’s Yushi Tanaka. This was his first title of the year and followed a run to the Hong Kong Super 500 final. In para-badminton, Indian shuttlers achieved their best-ever performance at Asian Para-Badminton Championship in Thailand, collecting 27 medals, including four gold.
Other Major Developments
Youth Games Success: India achieved its best-ever performance at Asian Youth Games, winning 48 medals.
National Sports Policy: The government approved the National Sports Policy (NSP) 2025, which aims to improve infrastructure, governance, and grassroots development in line with the National Education Policy.
Esports Recognition: Indian organization S8UL made history at Esports Awards 2025 by winning two major honors.
Deaflympics Triumph: Pranjali Dhumal secured a gold medal in women’s 25m pistol event at the Deaflympics in Tokyo.
Football Qualification: The Indian women’s football team qualified for AFC Women’s Asian Cup on merit by defeating Thailand.
