Nikhat Zareen out of CWG and Asian Games 2026 after Patiala trials loss
Synopsis
Nikhat Zareen — a two-time World Champion and Commonwealth Games gold medallist — has been shut out of both the Glasgow CWG and the Japan Asian Games after a 1-4 loss to Sakshi Chaudhary at the Patiala trials. Nitu Ghanghas also crashed out in the same category, leaving India's 51 kg slot open to an entirely new contender.
Key Takeaways
Nikhat Zareen lost 1-4 to Sakshi Chaudhary in the women's 51 kg semifinal at the national boxing trials in Patiala on 14 May .
She will miss both the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games in Japan in 2026.
Nikhat had earlier lost 0-5 to China's Wu Yu (reigning Olympic gold medallist) at the Asian Championships in Ulaanbaatar , forfeiting a direct berth.
Nitu Ghanghas also exited the trials, beaten by youngster Meenakshi , leaving the 51 kg category without its two biggest names.
Sachin Siwach , Preeti Pawar , and Priya Ghanghas had already qualified for the Asian Games via the Asian Championships.
Two-time World Championship gold medallist Nikhat Zareen will miss both the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Asian Games in Japan in 2026, after failing to secure her place through the national boxing trials held at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala. The 29-year-old boxer from Telangana lost her semifinal bout in the women's 51 kg category to Sakshi Chaudhary by a 1-4 margin on 14 May, ending her hopes of competing at both mega events.
How the Defeat Unfolded
Nikhat's loss to Sakshi in the semifinals was decisive — a 1-4 scoreline that left no room for a back-door qualification. Since she had already failed to earn a direct Asian Games berth through last month's Asian Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the trials were her last realistic route into the Indian squad. With that door now shut, she will sit out both international events.
Nikhat had reached the semifinals in Mongolia but was beaten 0-5 by China's Wu Yu, the reigning Olympic gold medallist. Under the qualification rules, only boxers who reached the finals in Ulaanbaatar received automatic Asian Games berths.
A Category Without Its Stars
Nikhat was not the only established name to fall at Patiala. Nitu Ghanghas, another decorated boxer in the weight class, was also knocked out — stunned by youngster Meenakshi on Thursday. The 51 kg slot in the Indian squad will now go to a new face, marking a significant generational shift in one of the country's most competitive boxing categories.
Nikhat's Recent Struggles
The result underlines a difficult stretch for Nikhat, who had not been part of the Indian squad in recent months and has been visibly short of her best form. This comes in stark contrast to her peak — she claimed her second World Championship gold at the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi, defeating Vietnam's Nguyen Thi Tam by a 5-0 unanimous decision in the 48-50 kg category. She also holds a Commonwealth Games gold and an Asian Games bronze among her major honours.
Who Has Qualified So Far
Three Indian boxers had already locked in their Asian Games spots via the Asian Championships. Sachin Siwach (men's 60 kg), Preeti Pawar (women's 54 kg), and Priya Ghanghas (women's 60 kg) all confirmed their places through their performances in Ulaanbaatar. The trials in Patiala were designed to fill the remaining berths, and with the 51 kg outcome now settled, attention turns to how the new qualifier performs on the international stage.
For Nikhat, the road back to the national squad will require a sustained return to form ahead of the next qualification cycle.
Point of View
Once anchored by Nikhat and Nitu Ghanghas, now heads into two of the year's biggest events with an untested representative. What mainstream coverage underplays is the qualification structure itself: a system where a continental semifinal finish earns nothing, and a single trials loss is terminal, leaves no margin for elite athletes going through form slumps. Whether Indian boxing's selection framework needs a buffer mechanism for established champions is a question the Boxing Federation of India will need to confront.
NationPress
28 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Nikhat Zareen been ruled out of the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games 2026?
Nikhat Zareen failed to qualify through two routes: she lost 0-5 to China's Wu Yu in the Asian Championships semifinals in Ulaanbaatar, missing the automatic Asian Games berth reserved for finalists, and then lost 1-4 to Sakshi Chaudhary at the national trials in Patiala on 14 May, ending her last chance of selection.
Who beat Nikhat Zareen at the national boxing trials?
Sakshi Chaudhary defeated Nikhat Zareen by a 1-4 margin in the women's 51 kg semifinal at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala. The result eliminated Nikhat from contention for both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games squads.
Who else crashed out of the 51 kg category at the Patiala trials?
Nitu Ghanghas, another top-ranked boxer in the 51 kg category, was also eliminated — beaten by youngster Meenakshi on Thursday. The category will now be represented by a new face at the upcoming international events.
Which Indian boxers have already qualified for the Asian Games 2026?
Three boxers secured automatic Asian Games berths through the Asian Championships in Ulaanbaatar: Sachin Siwach (men's 60 kg), Preeti Pawar (women's 54 kg), and Priya Ghanghas (women's 60 kg).
What are Nikhat Zareen's major career achievements?
Nikhat Zareen is a two-time World Championship gold medallist, including a 5-0 unanimous victory over Vietnam's Nguyen Thi Tam at the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi. She has also won gold at the Commonwealth Games and bronze at the Asian Games.
