India finish runners-up at Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy 2025, earn promotion to top tier

Apart from India, champions Kazakhstan also earned promotion from the men’s division.

The Indian men’s rugby team finished as runners-up in the 2025 edition of the Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy 2025. They suffered a 0-27 loss against Kazakhstan in the final held in Muscat, Oman, on Sunday, October 26.

The tournament saw India make history by booking their place in the top tier of the Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy for the first time. Although the side was performing well in recent years, they could not lift the ceiling and progress to the next stage.

The Asia Rugby Sevens structure has two divisions—Division 1 and Division 2. Teams competing in Division 2 compete against each other to earn a promotion.

Under the revamped Asia Rugby format, both finalists advanced to the top tier, meaning India and Kazakhstan had already confirmed their promotion. The top tier features the best eight teams in Asia, including Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and China.

India entered the competition seeded third and were placed alongside Afghanistan and Lebanon in Pool C. Prashant Singh captained the side, and Deepak Punia served as his deputy.

The Indian team kicked off their campaign with a 14-10 victory over Lebanon, which helped them instill confidence in their defense.

Thereafter, the Prashant-led side romped off to a dominating 26-5 win over Afghanistan. The side’s momentum continued with a 21-7 victory over Iran, and helped them qualify for the top four.

In the semi-finals, India faced a challenge from Saudi Arabia, whom they beat handsomely with a 17-0 margin.

Heading into the final, World No. 86 India were confident with their unbeaten run, but were up against the 58th-ranked Kazakhstan outfit.

In the end, Kazakhstan secured a terrific 27-0 victory over the Indian team to win the trophy. Meanwhile, Afghanistan defeated Saudi Arabia 17-12 to finish in third place in the competition.

Deepak was the finest performer for India with 17 points, including one conversion. Meanwhile, Prashant garnered 16 points to end as the second-highest scorer among the Indian players.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram