Hosts India were crowned SDAT Squash World Cup 2025 champions after a commanding 3–0 victory over top seeds Hong Kong, China, at the Express Avenue Mall in Chennai on Sunday.
Backed by a packed and vociferous home crowd, the Indian mixed team produced a clinical performance to lift the trophy for the first time, bettering their previous best of a bronze medal at the 2023 edition held at the same venue.
Squash World Cup 2025 Final: As it happened
Veteran Joshna Chinappa set the tone in the opening women’s singles rubber. The 39-year-old Chennai native, ranked 79th in the world, overcame world No.37 Ka Yi Lee 7-3, 2-7, 7-5, 7-1, showcasing her experience and composure in front of her home crowd.
“It feels great playing here in Chennai,” said Chinappa. “I am still so thankful that I can be part of the India national team. Playing here with the home support made all the difference.”
India doubled the lead through Abhay Singh, who delivered a ruthless display against Alex Lau, winning 7-1, 7-4, 7-4 in just 19 minutes. The Chennai player maintained his unbeaten head-to-head record against Lau with aggressive attacking play and precise shot-making.
Abhay said: “An unbelievable evening. To do this in front of my city makes me speechless. I hope this inspires a lot of kids watching- discipline and hard work can take you very far.”
Teenager Anahat Singh sealed the historic title in emphatic fashion. The 17-year-old from Delhi outplayed world No.31 Tomato Ho 7-2, 7-2, 7-5, handling the pressure with remarkable maturity to clinch the championship for India.
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Historic achievement
The triumph made India only the fifth nation- after Australia, England, Egypt and Pakistan- to win a major World Squash team title. It was also the first Squash World Cup final contested by two Asian teams.
Seeded second, India remained unbeaten throughout the tournament. They swept aside Switzerland and Brazil 4-0 in the group stage, defeated South Africa 3-0 in the quarter-finals, and stunned two-time champions Egypt 3-0 in the semi-finals.
India coach Harinder Singh called the victory special, highlighting the team’s ability to deliver under pressure.
With squash set to make its Olympic debut at LA 2028, India’s breakthrough World Cup triumph marks a significant milestone for the sport’s growth in the country.
