While Senthilkumar won 3-0, Anahat had to fight tooth and nail to win 3-2 before Abhay Singh sealed victory with a 3-1 win, as India made history by reaching the final.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Senthilkumar, 45th in the men\u2019s rankings, fired India into the lead by beating world No. 96 Ibrahim Elkabbani 7-1, 7-3, 7-6 in the opening rubber. India\u2019s top-ranked women\u2019s player is at world No. 28,<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Anahat Singh, at 17 the youngest player in the tournament and a World Cup debutant, extended the hosts\u2019 lead to 2-0 with a hard-fought 6-7, 7-5, 7-3, 3-7, 7-3 victory over the 44th-ranked Nour Heikal. Abhay Singh then sealed the spot in the final by seeing off Adam Hawal 3-1 (7-5, 6-7, 7-5, 7-6).<\/p>\r\n\r\n
This meant that Joshna Chinappa's match against Nardine Garas was not needed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
This is India's best-ever finish in the Squash World Cup since the event started in 1996, topping bronze in 2023, and sets up a gold-medal clash with Hong Kong, China, on Sunday at the Indian Squash Academy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier in the tournament, India beat Switzerland and Brazil by 4-0 margins in the group stage to progress to the quarter-finals, where they overcame South Africa 3-0.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 2025 edition, organised by World Squash, is the fifth staging of the tournament and the third straight year it has been held in Chennai.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier in the tournament, India beat Switzerland and Brazil by 4-0 margins in the group stage to progress to the quarter-finals, where they overcame South Africa 3-0.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
This is India\u2019s best-ever performance at the Squash World Cup, surpassing the semifinal appearance from 2023. India had lost to Malaysia and settled for a bronze medal at the same venue two years back.<\/p>\r\n\r\n