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National and International Sports updates,  Important for Competitive Exams.

Koneru Humpy clinches women’s title at World Rapid and Blitz Championship 2024

On December 29, 2024, the World Rapid and Blitz Championship was held in New York.

Winner in Women’s Category: India’s Koneru Humpy won her second women’s title by defeating Indonesia’s Irene Sukander. Humpy finished the tournament with 8.5 points from 11 rounds.

Age and Achievement: At 37, she became the second player after China’s Ju Wenjun to win the title more than once. Humpy first won the championship in 2019 at Georgia.

Winner in Men’s Category: Russia’s Volodar Murzin, aged 18, won the men’s championship.

Record: Murzin became the second-youngest FIDE World Rapid Champion, following Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who won at age 17.

Torch Rally for the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the torch procession of the 38th National Games from Haldwani in Nainital district on December 26, 2024.

Route and Duration: The torch will travel through 99 locations across 13 districts over 33 days, covering a distance of 3,823 kilometers.

Culmination: The relay will conclude in Dehradun on January 25, 2025, just before the National Games’ inauguration on January 28.

Purpose: The rally aims to raise awareness about the National Games and engage the public in sports activities.

Significance: Hosting the National Games is seen as a historic opportunity for Uttarakhand to foster a sports culture and contribute to the state’s development.

About the National Games

  1. History: The National Games are a multi-sport event held in India, showcasing the country’s athletic talent.
  2. Frequency: Held every four years, the event brings together athletes from across the nation to compete in various sports.
  3. Purpose: The Games aim to promote sportsmanship, unity, and excellence in sports among Indian athletes.
  4. Inclusion of Traditional Sports: For the first time, yoga and mallakhamb will be included as demonstration sports in the National Games.
  5. Infrastructure Development: Significant investments have been made in sports infrastructure, including new playgrounds, upgraded stadiums, and facilities for various sports.

Bumrah Equals Ashwin’s Record with 904 Rating Points in ICC Men’s Test Bowling Ranking

Jasprit Bumrah has reached 904 rating points in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings, equaling the highest rating ever achieved by an Indian bowler, previously held by Ravichandran Ashwin.

Upcoming Opportunity: Bumrah has the chance to surpass this record during the Melbourne Test beginning on 26 December 2024 between India and Australia in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Outstanding Performance: Bumrah’s stellar performance in Brisbane, where he took 9 wickets for 94 runs, earned him 14 rating points and solidified his top position in the Test Bowling Rankings.

M Raghu & Devika Sihag Wins Senior National Badminton Titles 2024

86th Senior National Badminton Tournament held in Bengaluru from 18 to 24 December 2024.

  • Men’s Singles Champion: Karnataka’s M. Raghu defeated Mithun Manjunath (14-21, 21-14, 24-22), saving three match points in the decider.
  • Women’s Singles Champion: Haryana’s Devika Sihag secured a comfortable win over Shriyanshi Valishetty (21-15, 21-16).
  • Men’s Doubles Winners: Sanskar Saraswat and Arsh Mohammad.
  • Women’s Doubles Winners: Arathi Sara Sunil and Varshini VS.
  • Mixed Doubles Winners: Ayush Agarwal and Shruti Mishra.

Fixtures for ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025

The ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 in Cricket will take place from 19th February to 9th March 2025.

Host: Pakistan will host its first global cricket tournament since 1996, alongside the UAE as a neutral venue.

Group A Teams: India, Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Pakistan.

Group B Teams: Afghanistan, Australia, England, and South Africa.

Opening Match: The tournament begins with Pakistan facing New Zealand on 19th February in Karachi.

India’s Matches: India’s first match is against Bangladesh on 20th February in Dubai, followed by a match against Pakistan on 23rd February in Dubai.

Venues: Matches will be held in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi in Pakistan, and Dubai in the UAE.

Semi-finals and Final: The first semi-final will be on 4th March in Dubai, the second semi-final and final on 5th March and 9th March in Lahore. If India qualifies, these matches will be in Dubai.

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: India’s Matches to be Held in UAE, Confirms PCB

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has designated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the neutral venue for India’s matches in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

Reason: This decision follows India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns.

Confirmation: The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed on December 19 that all India’s matches, including potential semifinals and the final, will be played at a neutral venue under a hybrid hosting model.

Likely Location: While the PCB did not specify the exact location, Dubai is widely expected to host the matches.

Group Stage: India has three group-stage games, including a highly anticipated clash with Pakistan.

Further Matches: Should India advance, the UAE will also host one of the semifinals and the final.

Resolution: The decision resolves a standoff between the two cricketing rivals and clears the way for the ICC to announce the schedule for the eight-team, 50-over tournament.

Historical Context: India and Pakistan have not toured each other’s countries since 2012 due to ongoing political tensions, with their cricketing interactions limited to neutral venues and ICC events.

India Wins Under-19 ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024

India won the inaugural Under-19 ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup on 22nd December 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, defeating Bangladesh by 41 runs.

India’s Performance: Scored 117/7, with Gongadi Trisha top-scoring with 52 runs.

Bowling Highlights: Aayyushi Shukla took 3 wickets, while Parunika Sisodia and Sonam Yadav claimed 2 wickets each.

Bangladesh’s Performance: Bowled out for 76 runs in 18.3 overs; Farjana Easmin took 4 wickets for Bangladesh.

Tournament: Started on 15th December 2024, featuring 6 teams. India, led by Niki Prasad, remained unbeaten.

India to face Bangladesh in U-19 Women’s T20 Asia Cup final 2024

India’s Victory: India entered the final of the inaugural U-19 Women’s Asia Cup by defeating Sri Lanka in the Super 4 match held on 20 December 2024.

Match Details: India, led by Niki Prasad, chased down the target of 99 runs in 14.5 overs, winning by 4 wickets. G. Trisha was the top scorer with 32 runs.

Sri Lanka’s Innings: Sri Lanka scored 98 runs for the loss of nine wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. For India, Aayushi took four wickets and Parunika took two.

Upcoming Final: India will face Bangladesh in the final on 22 December 2024.

Bangladesh’s Performance: Bangladesh defeated Nepal by nine wickets in another Super 4 match. In a rain-affected 11-over match, Bangladesh restricted Nepal to 54 for 8 and chased down the target in 9.5 overs, scoring 58 runs for the loss of one wicket.

Q.: Which team will India face in the final of the U-19 Women’s Asia Cup 2024?

a) Nepal
b) Pakistan
c) Bangladesh
d) Sri Lanka

Ans: c) Bangladesh
India will face Bangladesh in the final on 22 December 2024.

New Delhi to host 2025 World Para Athletics Championships from September 26 to October 5, 2025

New Delhi will host the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium from September 26 to October 5, 2025.

  • First Time in India: This will be the first time the championships are held in India.
  • Edition: New Delhi 2025 will be the 12th edition of the World Para Athletics Championships.
  • Previous Asia Hosts: This will be the fourth time the event is hosted in Asia, following Doha 2015, Dubai 2019, and Kobe 2024.
  • World Para Athletics Grand Prix: New Delhi will also host a World Para Athletics Grand Prix for the first time from March 11 to 13, 2025, at the same venue.

Q.: Where will the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships be held from September 26 to October 5, 2025?

a) Indira Gandhi Stadium
b) Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
c) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium
d) Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium

Answer: b) Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
New Delhi will host the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium from September 26 to October 5, 2025.

Pranav Venkatesh wins FIDE World U-18 Youth Rapid and Blitz Chess titles

Pranav Venkatesh, an Indian Grandmaster, won both the FIDE World Under-18 Youth Rapid and Blitz titles in Slovenia on 17 December 2024.

  • In the Rapid category, Pranav scored 9.5 points to win the gold medal.
  • Silver in the Rapid category went to Russia’s Alexander Khripachenko with 9 points, and bronze to Ukraine’s Roman Pyrih with 7.5 points.
  • In the Blitz category, Pranav scored 19.5 points and finished with a round to spare.
  • Silver in the Blitz category was won by Russia’s Dmitry Mochalov with 15.5 points, and bronze went to Alexander Khripachenko.
  • Pranav was the only Grandmaster competing in the event, which included six categories across both Rapid and Blitz formats.

Q.: Who won both the FIDE World Under-18 Youth Rapid and Blitz titles in 2024?

a) Alexander Khripachenko
b) Dmitry Mochalov
c) Roman Pyrih
d) Pranav Venkatesh

Ans: d) Pranav Venkatesh
Pranav Venkatesh, an Indian Grandmaster, won both the FIDE World Under-18 Youth Rapid and Blitz titles in Slovenia on 17 December 2024.

R Ashwin announces retirement from international cricket

Retirement Announcement: Indian off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket on December 18, 2024.

Age: Ashwin is 38 years old.

Recent Match: He played one match in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, taking 1/53 in Adelaide.

Test Career Highlights:

  • Second-highest wicket-taker for India in Tests (537 wickets in 106 matches). Anil Kumble, with 619 wickets is highest wicket taker.
  • Only Anil Kumble has more Test wickets (619).
  • Scored six centuries and 14 fifties in Tests.

Debut: Made his Test debut against West Indies in Delhi on November 6, 2011.

Limited-Overs Career:

  • 116 ODIs: 156 wickets.
  • 65 T20Is: 72 wickets.

Future Plans: Will continue playing in T20 tournaments and represent Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2025.

Q.: Who is the only Indian bowler with more Test wickets than Ravichandran Ashwin?
a) Kapil Dev
b) Harbhajan Singh
c) Anil Kumble
d) Zaheer Khan

Answer: c) Anil Kumble
Indian off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket on December 18, 2024. He took 537 wickets in 106 Tests. Only Anil Kumble, with 619 wickets, has dismissed more batters for India.

FIFA Best Awards 2024: Vinicius Jr. and Aitana Bonmati Crowned Players of the Year

Men’s Player of the Year: In Football Vinicius Jr. (Brazil and Real Madrid) won the FIFA Best Award 2024.

Previous Winner (Men): Lionel Messi held the title for the past two years.

Ballon d’Or 2024: Vinicius Jr. lost to Rodrigo Hernández Cascante (Manchester City and Spain).

Women’s Player of the Year: Aitana Bonmati (Spain and Barcelona) won for the second consecutive year.

Mumbai wins Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024, defeating Madhya Pradesh by five wickets

Mumbai won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024, defeating Madhya Pradesh by five wickets in the final on 15 December 2024 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.

After opting to bowl first, Mumbai restricted Madhya Pradesh to 174/8 in 20 overs and chased down the target in 17.5 overs. Suryakumar Yadav scored a crucial 48 runs off 35 balls for Mumbai, while Rajat Patidar was the top-scorer for Madhya Pradesh with 81 runs.

Suryansh Shedge was awarded the Player of the Match, and Ajinkya Rahane was named the Man of the Series. This marked Mumbai’s second title, having won their maiden trophy in 2022 against Himachal Pradesh.

India wins the Women’s Junior Asia Cup 2024 Hockey Championship

India won the Women’s Junior Asia Cup 2024 Hockey Championship in Muscat, Oman on 15 December 2024, defeating China 3-2 in a penalty shootout to defend their title.

Indian goalkeeper Nidhi made three crucial saves, while Sakshi Rana, Ishika, and Sunelita Toppo scored in the shootout. Earlier, Jinzhuang Tan scored for China, with Kanika Siwach equalizing for India, leading to a 1-1 draw in regulation time.

Hockey India announced rewards of ₹2 lakh for each player and ₹1 lakh for each support staff. Deepika Sehrawat, with 12 goals, was the tournament’s top scorer. India had won their maiden title last year by defeating the Republic of Korea.

D. Gukesh becomes youngest World chess champion

Indian Grandmaster Dommaraju Gukesh made history on 12 December 2024 by becoming the youngest World Chess Champion at the age of 18. Gukesh defeated defending champion Ding Liren of China in the 14th and final match of the 18th FIDE World Chess Championship held in Singapore. The decisive moment came in the fifth hour of the endgame when Ding blundered on the 55th move, securing Gukesh’s victory with a score of 7.5 to 6.5.

Gukesh won three matches, while Ding won two, and the remaining nine were draws. Gukesh’s achievement broke Garry Kasparov’s record of becoming World Chess Champion at 22 and made him the second Indian to win the title after Viswanathan Anand, a four-time champion.

FIDE World Chess Championship: India’s D Gukesh has taken 6-5 lead after 11th game

In the 2024 FIDE World Chess Championship, India’s 18-year-old D Gukesh leads defending champion Ding Liren 6-5 after their 11th game on December 8, 2024, at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore. Gukesh secured a decisive victory in just 29 moves after Ding blundered under time pressure on his 28th move.

The championship, a best-of-14 games format, requires 7.5 points to win. If tied after 14 games, a tie-break will occur on December 13, 2024. Gukesh, on the verge of becoming the youngest classical chess champion, is poised to break Garry Kasparov’s record. The chess world is closely following this historic moment.

Bangladesh Men’s Asia Cup Under-19 Cricket final

In the Men’s Asia Cup Under-19 Cricket final on December 8, 2024, Bangladesh defeated India by 59 runs at the Dubai International Stadium to win the title. Bangladesh, batting first, were bowled out for 198 in 49.1 overs, with Mohammad Rizan Hossan top-scoring with 47 runs. Indian bowlers Yudhjit Guha, Chetan Sharma, and Hardik Raj each took two wickets.

In response, India were all out for 139 in 35.2 overs while chasing a target of 199 runs. Indian captain Mohammad Amaan scored the highest with 26 runs, followed by Hardik Raj’s quick 24 off 21 balls. Bangladesh emerged victorious to lift the cup.

U-19 Asia Cup ODI Cricket: India and Bangladesh in the Final

In the Men’s Under-19 Asia Cup ODI Cricket, India advanced to the final by defeating Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the semi-final on December 6, 2024. Chasing a target of 174, India achieved it in just 21.4 overs, with Vaibhav Suryavanshi top-scoring 67 runs off 36 balls. Sri Lanka had elected to bat first after winning the toss.

In the other semi-final, Bangladesh beat Pakistan by seven wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Bangladesh chose to field first after winning the toss.

India will now face Bangladesh in the final, scheduled to be held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on December 8, 2024.

Jay Shah takes charge as Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC)

Jay Shah became the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on December 1, 2024, marking him as the fifth Indian to head the global cricket body. Shah, was unanimously elected by the ICC Board of Directors, succeeding New Zealand’s Greg Barclay. 36-year-old Jay Shah, has been the secretary of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the last five years

In his inaugural statement, Shah highlighted his vision to use cricket’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics as a transformative opportunity and emphasized the growth of women’s cricket as a key priority.

Syed Modi International Tournament 2024: PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen emerged as Singles champions

At the Syed Modi International Tournament 2024 in Lucknow, PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen emerged as Singles champions. Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, won the Women’s Singles title by defeating China’s Wu Luo Yu 21-14, 21-16. Lakshya Sen claimed the Men’s Singles title with a commanding victory over Singapore’s Jia Heng Jason Teh 21-6, 21-7.

In Women’s Doubles, the Indian duo Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand won the title, beating China’s Bao Li Jing and Li Qian 21-18, 21-11. However, Indian teams in Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles finished as runner-ups. Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy and Sai Pratheek K lost a close Men’s Doubles final to China’s Huang Di and Liu Yang (14-21, 21-19, 17-21), while Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto were defeated by Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran (21-18, 14-21, 8-21) in the Mixed Doubles final.

World Chess Championship: Gukesh and Liren Tie in 4th Game

The fourth game of the FIDE Chess World Championship between D. Gukesh and defending champion Ding Liren ended in a draw on 29 November 2024 in Singapore, leaving both players with 2 points each. Gukesh had leveled the score in Game 3 by defeating Liren.

The championship consists of 14 games, with the first player to reach 7.5 points being crowned champion. This historic tournament, featuring two Asian players for the first time in 138 years, has a prize pool of $2.5 million. A win earns 1 point, a draw 0.5 points, and a loss 0 points.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 13, Becomes Youngest Cricket Player to Secure IPL Contract

Vaibhav Suryavanshi, at just 13 years old, made history as the youngest cricket player to secure an IPL contract during the IPL 2025 Auction. He was signed by the Rajasthan Royals, led by Rahul Dravid, for ₹1.10 crore. Bihar Cricket Association President Rakesh Tiwari praised Vaibhav’s achievement and expressed confidence in his potential.

Vaibhav gained attention by becoming the youngest batter to score an international century, hitting a 104 off 62 balls in a Youth Test for India Under-19 against Australia Under-19 in Chennai. His 58-ball century was the fastest by an Indian in Youth Tests and the second-fastest globally. Earlier this year, Vaibhav debuted in the Ranji Trophy for Bihar at the age of 12, becoming the youngest player in India’s premier First-Class tournament.

Divith Reddy won the gold medal at the Under-8 World Cadets Chess Championship

Eight-year-old Divith Reddy from Telangana won the gold medal at the Under-8 World Cadets Chess Championship in Montesilvano, Italy, on 26 November 2024.

Divith scored 9 points out of 11, tying with fellow Indian Sattwik Swain but securing gold due to a superior tiebreak score. Sattwik earned the silver medal, while Ziming Guo of China claimed bronze.

With a FIDE rating of 1784, Divith started strong with four consecutive wins, faced setbacks with two losses, but made a remarkable comeback by winning the final five rounds to clinch the title.

IPL 2025 Mega Auction : Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in IPL history

The IPL 2025 Mega Auction, held at the Abadi Al-Johar Arena in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, witnessed record-breaking bids and intense team strategies over two days.

Day 1 Highlights (24th November 2024):

  • Record Bids:
    • Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in IPL history, sold to Lucknow Super Giants for ₹27 crore.
    • Punjab Kings secured Shreyas Iyer for ₹26.75 crore and Yuzvendra Chahal for ₹18 crore, setting a record for an Indian spinner.
    • Venkatesh Iyer went to Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹23.75 crore.
    • Punjab also acquired Arshdeep Singh for ₹18 crore.

Day 2 Highlights (25th November 2024):

  • The day began with 33 capped players going under the hammer, followed by an accelerated auction for capped and uncapped players.
  • Notable Buys:
    • Mumbai Indians: Secured Will Jacks for ₹5.25 crore and Deepak Chahar for ₹9.25 crore.
    • RCB: Acquired Bhuvneshwar Kumar for ₹10.75 crore and Tim David for ₹3 crore.
    • Lucknow Super Giants: Bought Akash Deep for ₹8 crore.
    • Rajasthan Royals: Signed Tushar Deshpande for ₹6.5 crore.
  • Uncapped Players:
    • CSK signed Anshul Kamboj for ₹3.4 crore and Mukesh Choudhary for ₹30 lakh.
    • Gujarat Titans brought back Gurnoor Singh Brar for ₹1.3 crore.
    • Punjab Kings added Azmatullah Omarzai for ₹2.4 crore.

The auction showcased fierce competition as teams strengthened their squads with both marquee and emerging players, setting the stage for an exciting IPL 2025 season.

N Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli won the Men’s Doubles Tennis title at the ATP Challenger Tour in Italy

N Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli won the Men’s Doubles title at the ATP Challenger Tour in Italy. They defeated the second-seeded duo of French tennis player Theo Arribage and his Portuguese partner Francisco Cabral in the final held on November 23, 2024.

This victory marked Rithvik Bollipalli’s second ATP Challenger Tour title, having previously won the Almaty Open in Kazakhstan with Arjun Kadhe last month. For the 34-year-old Balaji, it was his first title on the ATP Challenger Tour.

North East United Football Club Becomes Champion of the 40th All India Governor’s Gold Cup International Football Tournament 2024

North East United Football Club emerged as the champion of the 40th All India Governor’s Gold Cup International Football Tournament 2024, held at Paljor Stadium, Gangtok on 24 November 2024. In a thrilling final match, they defeated the home team, Gangtok Himalayan Sporting Club, in a tie-breaker.

The match, attended by Governor Om Prakash Mathur and Chief Minister PS Tamang, ended goalless in regular time and proceeded to a penalty shoot-out. North East United FC successfully converted all four of their penalty shots, while Gangtok Himalayan SC managed to score only three out of five.

The tournament, organized by the Sikkim Football Association, featured 16 teams and included four international clubs from Nepal, Bhutan, Dubai, and Malaysia. This prestigious event returned after a five-year hiatus, with the last edition held in 2019.

Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2025 will be held in Bihar in April 2025

The Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2025 will be held in Bihar in April 2025, followed by the Khelo India Para Games after a 10-15 day gap, adopting a format similar to the Summer Olympics. This event will host over 10,000 young athletes, showcasing their talents across various sports.

The announcement was made by Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, who praised Bihar for its capability to host Women’s Asian Champions Trophy hockey championship. The games align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to expand Khelo India Games nationwide, strengthening sports infrastructure and grassroots talent development, and contributing to building a stronger nation through sports.

India won the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024 in hockey

India won the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy in hockey on 20 November 2024 at Rajgir Hockey Stadium, Bihar, defeating China 1-0 in the final. This marked India’s second consecutive and third overall title, equalling South Korea’s record.

Deepika scored the decisive goal in the 31st minute from a penalty corner and emerged as the tournament’s leading scorer with 11 goals, earning the Player of the Tournament award.

India had earlier defeated China 3-0 in the league phase. Japan secured the bronze medal by defeating Malaysia 4-1.

India Reaches the Final of the Women’s Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2024

India advanced to the final of the Women’s Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2024 by defeating Japan 2-0 in the semi-final held on 19 November 2024 at Rajgir Hockey Stadium, Bihar. India entered the semi-finals as favorites, having won all their group-stage matches, including a 3-0 victory over Japan.

China also secured a spot in the final by beating Malaysia 3-1 in the other semi-final, marking their fifth win in six games. Malaysia, with 2 wins and 4 losses, will now compete against Japan for the bronze medal.

The final match between India and China will take place on 20 November 2024, at 4:45 PM, while the bronze medal match between Malaysia and Japan is scheduled for 2:15 PM on the same day at Rajgir Hockey Stadium.

Magnus Carlsen wins Tata Steel Chess India Blitz event

At the Tata Steel Chess India tournament in Kolkata, Magnus Carlsen, World No. 1, secured the blitz title on November 17, 2024. Carlsen staged a crucial comeback against India’s Arjun Erigaisi in the penultimate round, ensuring an unassailable lead with 12 points. He concluded the tournament by defeating Vidit Gujrathi, achieving 13 points and clinching the blitz crown. This marks Carlsen’s second double victory in Kolkata, having achieved the same in 2019.

Indian players also performed well: Arjun Erigaisi finished third with 10.5 points, R Praggnanandhaa placed fourth with 9.5, and Vidit Gujrathi secured fifth with 9 points.

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