India's women players ended the year 2025 with several historic achievements in world-class sports

Indian women concluded the year 2025 with several historic achievements in cricket, hockey, Deaflympics, para sports, and other world-level sports. From a world title in one-day cricket, chess, and boxing to continental success in hockey and a historic win in blind women's cricket, Indian women athletes not only won medals but also expanded the scope and recognition of women's sports across the country.

Towards the end of the year, the Indian women's cricket team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, made history by defeating South Africa by 52 runs to win their first ICC Women's One Day World Cup. This was a defining moment for the country in cricket. Personally, Smriti Mandhana crossed the milestone of 4000 runs in international T20, becoming the first Indian woman to achieve this feat.

Additionally, the Indian blind women's team, led by Deepika Thakur, won the title by defeating Nepal by seven wickets in the first-ever Blind Women's T20 World Cup held in Colombo. The Indian team, led by Deepika, performed impressively against six countries - Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, and the United States - and secured victory in the final on November 23 in Colombo.

Indian women's cricket team's star all-rounder Deepti Sharma put up a historic performance against Sri Lanka in the third T20 International and set several records. She became the third-highest wicket-taker in women's international cricket and also achieved 1000 runs and 150 wickets in the same format. She is the first Indian cricketer (both men and women) to achieve this feat.

One of the biggest personal successes of the year came in chess, where Divya Deshmukh won the FIDE Women's World Cup in July, becoming the first Indian woman player to achieve this honor. Her victory reaffirmed India's growing influence in global chess and the emergence of a new generation of women players making a mark on the international stage.

Indian women's boxing continued to dominate, winning multiple medals at the 2025 World Boxing Championship. Jasmine Lamboria and Meenakshi Huda won gold medals in their respective weight categories, Nupur Sheoran won silver, and Pooja Rani won bronze. Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen continued to assert her dominance in another successful international season, further solidifying India's depth and strength in women's boxing across various weight categories.

Jyothi Yarraji put up an impressive show, winning the gold medal in the women's 100m hurdles at the Asian Athletics Championships, placing her among Asia's leading hurdlers. Rupal Choudhary added to India's medal tally by winning silver in the women's 400m and then played a crucial role in the gold medal-winning 4x400m relay team. This underscored India's growing influence and competitiveness in track events.

There were also notable results in shooting and archery this year. Jyothi Surekha Vennam won a bronze medal in the compound category at the Archery World Cup Final, a first for India in the major season finale. In shooting, Tejaswini won gold in the women's 25m pistol at the ISSF Junior World Cup, demonstrating India's emerging talent in precision sports.

In team sports, women's hockey had a strong campaign on the continent. The Indian women's hockey team won the silver medal at the Women's Asia Cup 2025 held in Hangzhou. The Indian team finished second after losing 1-4 to hosts China in the final. Navneet Kaur scored for India in the very first minute of the title clash, while goals from Ou Zixia, Li Hong, Zhu Meirong, and Zhong Jiaqi sealed the championship for the home team. India's overall performance, including impressive victories earlier in the tournament, reaffirmed its position among Asia's top women's hockey teams.

Indian women athletes also played a crucial role in India's most successful Deaflympics campaign in 2025, winning several medals in shooting and golf. Anusha Prasad won the gold medal in the women's 10m air pistol, setting a Deaflympics finals record. Pranjali Prashant Dhoomal won gold in the women's 25m pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team event, as well as silver in the individual 10m air pistol. Diksha Dagar won another gold medal in women's individual golf. This impressive performance in the women's category helped India achieve a record number of medals.

Indian women athletes also showcased impressive performance in para sports and the World Para Athletics Championships 2025. Simran Sharma led the way, winning gold in the women's 100m T12 and silver in the 200m T12, while Preeti Pal added to India's medal count with silver in the 100m T35 and bronze in the 200m T35.