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National and International Sports updates,  Important for Competitive Exams.

ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025

The ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 begins on 30 September 2025 with India facing Sri Lanka at Guwahati. This is the 13th edition of the tournament, featuring 8 teams — Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

A total of 28 league matches will be played in a round-robin format across four venues in India and one in Colombo. The high-profile India vs Pakistan clash is scheduled for 5 October in Colombo.

The top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals. Australia, with seven titles, are the most successful team, followed by England (four) and New Zealand (one). India aims to win their first ICC title.

India Wins Asia Cup Title 2025

On 29 September 2025, India defeated Pakistan by five wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium to win their record ninth Asia Cup title. Chasing 147, Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 69 off 53 balls anchored India’s innings after an early collapse at 20/3. Key partnerships with Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube sealed the win with two balls to spare.

India maintained a perfect record against Pakistan in the tournament, beating them thrice (group stage, Super Four, and final). Pakistan, despite a strong opening stand, were bowled out for 146.

Apollo Tyres Becomes Lead Sponsor of BCCI Team India

On 16 September 2025, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a 2.5-year partnership with Apollo Tyres as the new lead sponsor of India’s men’s and women’s cricket teams, replacing Dream11. The deal, running until March 2028, will feature the Apollo Tyres logo on Team India jerseys across all formats.

This is Apollo Tyres’ first entry into Indian cricket, marking a strategic move to align with the nation’s most popular sport. BCCI officials hailed the partnership as a reflection of Indian cricket’s global brand value, while Apollo Tyres called it a matter of national pride and a boost to consumer trust.

Minakshi Hooda, Jaismine Lamboria Clinch Gold at World Boxing Championships 2025

On 14 September 2025, Minakshi Hooda (48 kg) and Jaismine Lamboria (57 kg) won gold medals at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, England.

  • Minakshi defeated Nazym Kyzaibay.
  • Jaismine outclassed Julia Szeremeta, Paris Olympics silver medallist.

With these wins, they joined the elite group of Indian world champions like Mary Kom, Nikhat Zareen, Sarita Devi, Lovlina Borgohain, and others.

👉 India finished with four medals, its best-ever tally in an overseas edition of the tournament.

Asia Cup 2025: India Defeats Pakistan by 7 Wickets in Dubai

Asia Cup 2025 (14 September, Dubai): India defeated Pakistan by 7 wickets in a Group A clash. Pakistan, restricted to 127/9 in 20 overs, saw a late cameo from Shaheen Afridi (33 off 16)* after early blows by Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav (3/18) and Axar Patel dominated the middle overs.

Chasing, India reached 131/3 in 15.5 overs, with Abhishek Sharma (31 off 13) providing a quick start and Suryakumar Yadav (47 off 37)* guiding the innings. SKY sealed victory with a six, earning India a comfortable win. Kuldeep Yadav was named Player of the Match.

17th Asia Cup 2025 in Abu Dhabi from September 9–28

The 17th Asia Cup (T20I format) is being held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE from September 9–28, 2025. Originally India had hosting rights, but political tensions with Pakistan shifted the event to the UAE.

  • Teams (8):
    • Group A: India, Pakistan, UAE, Oman
    • Group B: Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Hong Kong
  • Matches: 19 total; most start at 6:30 PM UAE time.

India, the defending champions, are chasing their 9th Asia Cup title. The tournament is also a prelude to the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, highlighting the UAE’s role as a global cricket hub.

India Beat Oman to Clinch Bronze in CAFA Nations Cup 2025

On 8 Sept 2025, India’s football team defeated Oman 3-2 on penalties at the Hisor Central Stadium in Tajikistan to claim third place in the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup 2025. Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu saved three spot-kicks, while Chhangte, Bheke, and Jithin MS converted their penalties to seal the win.

This was India’s first-ever victory over Oman in 31 years. Under new head coach Khalid Jamil, the team displayed resilience throughout the tournament, registering a win over Tajikistan and a draw against Afghanistan before clinching the historic bronze.

India Wins 2025 Men’s Asia Cup Hockey in Rajgir

On 7 September 2025, India’s Men’s Hockey Team defeated South Korea 4–1 in the final of the Hero Asia Cup 2025 at the Rajgir Sports Complex, Bihar. Goal scorers included Sukhjeet Singh, Dilpreet Singh (2), and Amit Rohidas. This marks India’s 4th Asia Cup title (after 2003, 2007, 2017).

With this victory, India secured qualification for the 2026 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup (Netherlands & Belgium). Hockey India announced ₹3 lakh prize money per player and ₹1.5 lakh for support staff.

Carlos Alcaraz Wins 2nd U.S. Open Title, Reclaims World No. 1

On 7 Sept 2025, Carlos Alcaraz won his second U.S. Open men’s singles title, defeating Jannik Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 22-year-old Spaniard reclaimed the World No. 1 ranking and secured his 6th Grand Slam, becoming the first player since 1978 to win multiple majors on all three surfaces before turning 23.

Alcaraz dominated with 42 winners, 10 aces, and zero double faults, while Sinner, the 2024 champion, struggled to keep pace. This win extended Alcaraz’s head-to-head lead over Sinner to 10-5, cementing his status as tennis’s leading young star.

Mirabai Chanu Wins Gold at 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships

Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu clinched the gold medal in the women’s 48kg category at the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Ahmedabad (25 Aug 2025).

  • Total Lift: 193 kg (Snatch 84kg + Clean & Jerk 109kg)
  • Records: New Commonwealth Championship records in snatch, clean & jerk, and total
  • Impact: Secured direct qualification for Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

NorthEast United FC Retains Durand Cup Title

NorthEast United FC (NEUFC) retained the Durand Cup title with a 6–1 win over debutants Diamond Harbour FC (DHFC) on 23 August 2025 at Kolkata’s Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan.

  • NEUFC became the first team in 34 years to defend the Durand Cup, a feat last achieved by East Bengal (1989–1991).
  • Six different NEUFC players scored, with Alaaeddine Ajaraie contributing 3 assists and a stoppage-time penalty.
  • DHFC’s lone goal came via Jobby Justin (68’, deflected header).

Kajal Dochak clinches gold in U-20 World Wrestling Championships

On 22 August 2025, India’s Kajal Dochak clinched gold in the 72kg category, defeating China’s Yuqi Liu 8-6. Saarika (53kg) and Shruti (50kg) earned bronze medals, while Suraj bagged bronze in the men’s Greco-Roman 60kg category.

On 21 August 2025, Reena (55kg) and Priya Malik (76kg) won silver medals after tough final losses.

India’s Medal Tally so far: 9 medals (2 Gold, 4 Silver, 3 Bronze).

BCCI announces India’s Squad for Asia Cup T20 (UAE, 2025)

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced India’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup T20 on 19 August 2025. The tournament will be played in Abu Dhabi and Dubai from September 9 to 28, 2025.

India, the defending champions, will be led by Suryakumar Yadav, while Shubman Gill has been appointed vice-captain, marking his return to the T20 format.

Devika Sihag Wins International Challenge Title at Malaysia Open 2025

On 17 August 2025, Indian shuttler Devika Sihag (20 years) won the women’s singles title at the Malaysia International Challenge 2025 in Ipoh.

She defeated compatriot Isharani Baruah (5th seed) with scores 15-7, 15-12.

The tournament was held under BWF’s experimental 3×15 scoring system (games to 15 instead of 21).

Vincent Keymer Wins Chennai Grand Masters 2025

The Chennai Grand Masters 2025, held from August 7–15, marked the third edition of India’s premier classical chess tournament. Organized by MGD1 and sponsored by Quantbox, the event featured two elite round-robin sections—Masters and Challengers—with 10 players each, battling across nine rounds for a total prize pool of ₹1 Crore.

Masters Section Highlights

  • Champion: Vincent Keymer (Germany)
    • Clinched the title with a round to spare
    • Final score: 7/9
    • Earned ₹25 Lakhs and 24.5 FIDE Circuit points
  • Runner-ups (Joint Second – 5 points):
    • Arjun Erigaisi – third consecutive runner-up finish
    • Karthikeyan Murali
    • Anish Giri

India Bids to Host 2030 Commonwealth Games

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on 14 August 2025 approved India’s bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. India will submit its final proposal by 31 August 2025. The Games will mark 100 years since the first edition in 1930 and 20 years since India last hosted (Delhi, 2010).

India has proposed Ahmedabad as the lead host city, with Delhi and Bhubaneswar as alternatives. Plans include new sports complexes like the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave, and the inclusion of kabaddi, kho kho, shooting, wrestling, and archery.

With Canada withdrawing its bid, India’s chances have increased. The host country will be announced by the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in November 2025 at Glasgow. The bid also supports India’s ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games.

Namrata Batra Becomes First Indian to Enter Wushu Final at World Games 2025

On 11 August 2025, Namrata Batra became the first Indian to reach the women’s 52 kg Wushu final at the World Games in Chengdu, China, defeating Philippines’ Krizan Faith Collado 2-0.

This assured India’s first-ever World Games medal in Wushu, with at least a silver guaranteed. She will face Mengyue Chen of China in the final.

Earlier, Rishabh Yadav secured India’s first individual medal at the 2025 Games with bronze in men’s compound archery. Batra recently won gold at the Moscow Star International Wushu Championship ahead of the Games.

India Beat England by 6 Runs in Final Test, Series Ends 2–2

On 4 August 2025, India defeated England by 6 runs in a thrilling final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval, London, leveling the five-match series 2–2.

Chasing 374, England was bowled out for 367, with Mohammed Siraj starring for India by taking 9 wickets in the match, including 5 in the second innings. He was named Player of the Match.

India had scored 396 in their second innings, after trailing in the first. Shubman Gill (India) and Harry Brook (England) were named Players of the Series.

Durand Cup: Asia’s Oldest Football Tournament

Durand Cup 2025: from July 23 – August 23, 2025.

📜 Historical Legacy

  • Established in 1888, the Durand Cup is the oldest football tournament in Asia and the fifth oldest in the world.
  • Originally started as an Army Cup for British Indian Army troops, it later opened up to civilian teams, becoming a prestigious event in Indian football.
  • Named after Sir Mortimer Durand, the then Foreign Secretary of British India.

📍 Format & Participation

  • The tournament features 24 teams, including top clubs from the Indian Super League (ISL), I-League, and armed forces teams.
  • Teams are divided into six groups, with group winners and two best runners-up advancing to the knockout stage.
  • Matches are hosted across five cities: Kolkata, Shillong, Jamshedpur, Kokrajhar, and Imphal.

Divya Deshmukh Creates History: Wins FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025

On 28 July 2025, 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win the FIDE Women’s World Cup, defeating veteran Koneru Humpy in an all-Indian final held in Baku.

  • The classical games ended in draws, leading to rapid tie-breaks.
  • Divya won the final 1.5–0.5, capitalizing on Humpy’s errors under time pressure.
  • With this win, she became India’s 88th Grandmaster and the fourth Indian woman Grandmaster.
  • Divya was the underdog, ranked No. 18 in classical and No. 22 in rapid chess, while Humpy was World No. 5 in classical and a two-time World Rapid Champion.
  • Divya had also won the 2024 World Junior Championship and helped India win gold at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest.

Divya Deshmukh Creates Becomes First Indian to Reach FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup Final

India’s Divya Deshmukh defeated China’s Tan Zhongyi in Game 2 of the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025 semifinal on 23 July in Batumi, Georgia, securing a 1.5–0.5 victory and a place in the final. With this win, the 19-year-old not only became the first Indian to reach the final of the Women’s World Cup but also secured her first Grandmaster norm and a spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament.

She will face the winner of the other semifinal between Koneru Humpy (India) and Lei Tingjie (China), which is heading into tiebreaks after two drawn classical games.

The FIDE Women’s World Cup is a key event in the World Championship cycle, offering three spots for the Candidates Tournament.

India to Host FIDE Chess World Cup 2025 from October 30 to November 27

India will host the FIDE Chess World Cup 2025 from October 30 to November 27, marking its second time after Hyderabad in 2002.

  • 206 players will compete in a knockout format.
  • Top 3 finishers qualify for the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament.
  • Indian stars like Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, and Erigaisi expected to participate.
  • Follows India’s historic double gold at the 2024 Chess Olympiad.
  • Host city to be announced; New Delhi and Goa are in contention.

Koneru Humpy become first Indian woman to enter FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup Semifinals

On 21 July 2025, Koneru Humpy made history as the first Indian woman to reach the semifinals of the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025 in Batumi, Georgia, defeating China’s Song Yuxin.

Divya Deshmukh and Harika Dronavalli will play tiebreaks at 4:35 PM (IST) to decide the last semifinalist.

Vaishali Rameshbabu lost to Tan Zhongyi, while top seed Lei Tingjie beat Nana Dzagnidze to enter the semifinals.

Ancy Sojan wins third place in women’s long jump at Lignano Continental Tour event

In Athletics, India’s Ancy Sojan secured third place in the women’s long jump at the Lignano Meeting, part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze event held in Italy on 13 July 2025.

Ancy recorded a best jump of 6.36m on her fourth attempt, showing strong consistency with five of six jumps crossing 6.15m. Her jump sequence: 6.26m, 6.35m, 6.19m, 6.36m, 6.18m, 6.11m.

Australia’s Delta Amidzovski won gold with a 6.47m jump, while South Africa’s Danielle Nolte took silver with 6.44m, below her season best of 6.54m.

Ancy improved from her previous 6.21m jump in Spain earlier this season. Her personal best is 6.71m, achieved in Bengaluru in September 2024.

She currently holds the final qualifying spot in the Road to Tokyo 25 rankings for the 2025 World Athletics Championships.

Chelsea Win First-Ever FIFA Club World Cup Title (2025)

On 14 July 2025, Chelsea Football Club made history by winning the first-ever FIFA Club World Cup, defeating Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) 3–0 in the final at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey.

Match Highlights:

  • Cole Palmer emerged as the star of the match, scoring two goals in eight minutes and assisting Joao Pedro for the third goal just before halftime.
  • Chelsea’s third goal was a calm chip by Pedro after a brilliant pass from Palmer.
  • PSG failed to respond, and tensions rose when Joao Neves was sent off for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair.

Tournament Stats:

  • Chelsea ended the tournament as top scorers with 17 goals.
  • Other top-scoring teams: PSG, Manchester City, and Bayern (16 goals each).

Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek Clinch Wimbledon 2025 Titles

At Wimbledon 2025, Jannik Sinner defeated Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling 4-set final to win his first Wimbledon title and fourth Grand Slam, becoming the first Italian to win the men’s singles title at Wimbledon on 13 July 2025. Sinner avenged his loss in the 2025 French Open final against Alcaraz.

On the women’s side, World No. 4 Iga Swiatek crushed Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in just 57 minutes, claiming her maiden Wimbledon title, sixth Grand Slam, and marking her 100th Grand Slam match win. She also became the first Polish player to win Wimbledon and the first woman in the Open Era to win the final without conceding a single game.

India’s Fastest Man: Animesh Kujur Clocks Historic 10.18 Seconds

Animesh Kujur, a 22-year-old sprinter from Chhattisgarh, set a new national record in the men’s 100m with a timing of 10.18 seconds at the Dromia International Meet in Greece on July 2025.

He became the first Indian to run 100m under 10.20s, breaking Gurindervir Singh’s record of 10.20s. The feat was achieved at a World Athletics Continental Tour (Silver) event.

Kujur also holds the national 200m record (20.32s) and was part of India’s record-setting 4x100m relay team (38.69s).

India Defeat England by 336 Runs in 2nd Anderson-Tendulkar Test

India secured a record 336-run victory over England in the second Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Edgbaston, Birmingham, leveling the series 1-1.

  • It was India’s first-ever Test win at Edgbaston, ending a 58-year winless streak at the venue.
  • Despite a 100-minute rain delay on Day 5, Indian bowlers bowled out England by taking 7 remaining wickets.

🌟 Star Performers:

  • Akash Deep took a 10-wicket haul (4 in the first innings, 6 in the second), becoming the second Indian to do so in England after Chetan Sharma (1986).
  • Mohammed Siraj also starred with 7 wickets in the match.
  • Shubman Gill scored a record 430 runs across both innings (269 + 161) and was named Player of the Match.
    • His 430 is the second-highest aggregate in Test history after Graham Gooch’s 456.

India declared at 427/6 in their second innings, setting England a target of 608. England were all out for 271.

🗓️ The third Test will begin on 10 July 2025 at Lord’s.

India Qualifies for AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 After 22 Years

On 6 July 2025, the Indian women’s football team defeated hosts Thailand 2-1 in their final Group B match of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers at the Chiang Mai Stadium.

Sangita Basfore scored both goals for India, helping the team qualify for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup main event for the first time since 2003. Thailand’s lone goal came from Chatchawan Rodhong.

With both teams level on points and goal difference before the match, it served as a virtual playoff. India now heads to the 2026 Asian Cup in Australia.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) :It is the governing body of association football in Asia and Australia, responsible for organizing major tournaments.

India’s Best-Ever Medal Haul at World Boxing Cup 2025 in Astana

On 6 July 2025, India delivered its best-ever performance at the World Boxing Cup in Astana, clinching 11 medals3 Gold, 5 Silver, and 3 Bronze.

🥇 Gold Medal Winners:

  • Sakshi (54kg) defeated USA’s Yosline Perez with a unanimous decision.
  • Jaismine (57kg) won 4:1 against Brazil’s Jucielen Romeu.
  • Nupur (80+kg) beat Kazakhstan’s Talipova with a dominant 5:0 victory.

🥈 Silver Medalists:

  • Meenakshi (48kg) lost 2:3 to Kazakhstan’s Nazym Kyzaibay.
  • Jugnoo (Men’s 85kg), Pooja Rani (80kg), Hitesh Gulia (70kg), and Abhinash Jamwal (65kg) all finished second.

🥉 Bronze Winners:

  • Sanju (60kg), Nikhil Dubey (75kg), and Narender (90+kg) secured bronze medals.

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