Squash World Cup: India stun Egypt to reach maiden final
Velavan Senthilkumar, Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh power hosts to historic 3–0 win over defending champions in Chennai.
India, Dec 14 : National champions Velavan Senthilkumar and Anahat Singh led a dominant Indian performance as the hosts stunned two-time defending champions Egypt 3–0 to storm into their maiden final at the Squash World Cup 2025 at the Express Avenue Mall in Chennai on Saturday.
Senthilkumar gave India a dream start, cruising past world No. 96 Ibrahim Elkabbani 7–1, 7–3, 7–6 in the opening men’s singles rubber. Ranked 45th in the world, Senthilkumar’s composed display put the hosts firmly in control.
Seventeen year old Anahat Singh, the youngest player in the tournament and making her World Cup debut, then doubled India’s advantage with a gritty 3–2 win over world No. 44 Nour Heikal. India’s top-ranked women’s player battled through a tense encounter to prevail 6–7, 7–5, 7–3, 3–7, 7–3.
Abhay Singh sealed the historic result by defeating Adam Hawal 3–1 (7–5, 6–7, 7–5, 7–6), rendering Joshna Chinappa’s match against Nardine Garas unnecessary.
The victory marks India’s best-ever finish at the Squash World Cup since the tournament’s inception in 1996, surpassing the bronze medal secured at the same venue in 2023. India will now face Hong Kong, China, in the gold-medal match on Sunday at the Indian Squash Academy.
Earlier in the tournament, India topped their group with 4–0 wins over Switzerland and Brazil before beating South Africa 3–0 in the quarter-finals.
The 2025 edition, organised by World Squash, is the fifth staging of the event and the third consecutive year it has been held in Chennai. Twelve nations competed in the tournament, divided into four groups of three, with the top two from each group advancing to the knockout stage.
