The year 2025 has been truly a magical year for the players and teams who have been persistently consistent. This year marks a global jubilation for rewarding the underdogs for their best. Resilience, perseverance, and discipline have been the mantras for the sportspersons and teams.
Teams not only lifted the trophy, but they also lifted the hope of unity, fairness, and countless lessons to pursue a goal with utmost dedication. This year, women in sports have set remarkable footprints that have inspired millions to work relentlessly to reach their highest potential. Despite the landmarks, the sports lovers have triumphed in victory across the globe.
The beginning
In January, Denmark became the first nation to win four consecutive world titles in the International Handball Federation Championship. Brazil and Egypt made it to the quarterfinals for the first time in 26 years as non-European teams. Super Bowl LIX (USA) is one of the most-watched sporting events globally. According to Forbes, due to the “Taylor Swift Effect,” a record 47.5% of Super Bowl viewers were female last year. Viewing among females aged 18 to 24 increased by 24% year over year.
The entertainment and sports combination is often considered a global hit. The growth of the female audience in sports is quite remarkable. After 12 years, India, being unbeaten in all games, lifted the International Cricket Council Champions Trophy in March.
Rohit Sharma scored 76 off 83 deliveries, winning him Player of the Match, making history as the first captain to do so in an ICC Champions Trophy final. On March 16, 2025, Newcastle United won over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup after 70 years. Team stability and clinical performance led the title their way.
From potential to glory
In April 2025, during the clay court tennis season, with explosive footwork and relentless topspin, young Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz quickly became a dominant presence on clay courts, and Iga Swiatek is considered the queen of clay. Both of them emerged as young players and new stars in the making. In May, Crystal Palace, with a stunning 1-0 win over Manchester City, won their first title in the Football Association in 120 years, known as the Emirates FA Cup, which is the world’s oldest football competition, where the team evolved into a beast in the finals through their composure and dedication.
On May 25, 2025, Tottenham Hotspur clinched the Europa League cup 1-0 against Manchester United after 17 years. The side executed the plans accordingly and maintained composure in the big final. On May 31, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) became 5-0 victorious against Inter Milan in the Union of European Football Associations Champions League, which is their first-ever title and is not a fluke but a tactical brilliance in the league. Similarly, the most decorated football player of our generation, Harry Kane, finally won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, his first trophy, at the age of 31, breaking the “curse.” A club legend’s story portrays that patience with dedication is the key. Sometimes delay is not denial.
Crowning moments
On June 3, 2025, the most celebrated win of the Royal Challengers Bangalore against the Punjab Kings in the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League reinvigorated the fans across the borders. The 18th really brought a miracle for Virat Kohli, who is a legend of cricket, and a trophy drought is over as he received his maiden Indian Premier League Trophy; through his perseverance and resilience came the fairytale moment. This season marks the greatest achievements of Kohli himself, as he dedicated his teens, youth, and expertise to this franchise. The fanbase has reached its greatest height.
Arika Gurung made Nepal proud by clinching a gold medal at the Australian Open Karate Championship 2025. On June 3, 2025, she made history by winning Nepal’s first-ever bronze at the Karate-1 Premier League in Rabat, Morocco. This is the victory of her self-belief, confidence, and perseverance. She is truly an inspiration for all of us. She has definitely inspired young girls to pursue a career in sports.
On June 14, 2025, South Africa, after 27 years, finally recorded the International Cricket Council trophy by being victorious in the World Test Championship against the mighty Australia, which rarely loses the finals. This moment symbolises the grit of a new generation who are unbothered by the past and are on the way to redefine the global narrative of the South African cricket team. In July, the 2025 Tour de France, a landmark cycling event, highlighted dramatic racing and breathtaking performances across the French mountains and valleys, where Tadej Pogačar entered the elite discussions among the greatest cyclists of all time.
Fresh starts, new stakes
The 2025 World Aquatics Championships in August showcased the grand aquatic championship for the first time in Singapore. Léon Marchand and Summer McIntosh hold their golden medals with their luminous victories. The political uprising of September 22 and 23, the Gen Z movement, created turmoil in Nepal; disappointment and frustration were all among the people.
On September 29, 2025 the calm breeze came in place after Nepal sealed a 2-0 victory against the test-playing nation West Indies in a T20I bilateral series at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. At that moment, the victory was not just a mere game. It was metaphorical to glance at the zeal of the players; a thin layer of unity and hope was for the young generation. There was something to cherish after a miserable week, and that was a cricket.
The long grind
On October 19, 2025, the Denver Broncos achieved one of the most surprising comebacks in the National Football League against the New York Giants. They scored 33 points in a single quarter after being shut out for the first three quarters, winning 33–32 with a last-second field goal. This marks the modern-day miracle comeback by a team.
On November 2, 2025, the Indian Women’s Cricket team claimed their maiden trophy by winning against South Africa by 52 runs. Shefali Verma sealed the player of the match, where she was a replacement opener. She comes from Rohtak, a rural part of India, where girls were not recognised as cricketers. She cut her hair short and joined a team.
Eventually, her runs came for a winning cause, and her father became a backbone for her success. This World Win is the Girls’ Win for equality, empowerment, and social functioning. Each woman’s story is so poignant that it has inspired the upcoming generation to become Shefali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana, and the Indian Women’s team.
On November 23, 2025, Nepali girls waved the Nepali flag on a global stage by reaching the finals of the inaugural Blind Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup. Though Nepal could not claim the inaugural title against India by 7 wickets. It is a moment of immense respect for the women in a country like ours to overcome the social stigma and represent the country despite the countless hardships. The girls reminded us to pursue a goal with strong determination.
The showdown
On December 13, 2025, the Hobart Hurricanes Women won their first-ever Women’s Big Bash League, where the Hobart Hurricanes won their maiden title in the Big Bash League at the beginning of the year. The men’s and women’s teams winning the title at the sunrise and sunset of the year is definitely poetry in motion.
On the same day, the Nepal Premier League, in its second season, witnessed a ‘miracle’ where the Lumbini Lions concluded the finals after a triumph against the Sudur Paschim Royals by 6 wickets. The previous year, Lumbini Lions were at the bottom of the table, and most spectators wrote off the team in this season too.
The passionate beliefs of fans to win the title even after losing the first three games in a row. The underdog team’s journey was nothing short of a roller-coaster ride. After losing in a row, each game was a knockout for them.
Their game plan best fits with a Nepali saying: “Stay grounded in both suffering and success.” The calm-headed captain, Rohit Kumar Paudel, led the unit with his composure. A hat trick at the big finals, Player of the Tournament, and Best Batter is the legacy of the Captain. In sports, the prevailing notion is that a captain is as good as the team. Sher Malla, Darcy Short, Niroshan Dickwella, and each team member, coach, and staff member are equal shareholders of the win. This team has consistently demonstrated strength in tactics, resilience in adversity, redemption, and perseverance.
Thus, the year 2025 would be etched in history as a year of ‘miracle,’ in which unfulfilled dreams were finally fulfilled, characterised by resilience and redemption, emerging as a saga of underdogs. This year marks a milestone for women in sports, redefining excellence and grit and radiating with moments that will be sung for generations.
