Sujeet Kalkal’s 24-Match Winning Streak Ends in Heartbreaking World Championships Quarterfinal Defeat

Sujeet Kalkal’s remarkable run of form came to an agonising end at the 2026 World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, as the Indian wrestler lost 3-3 on criteria to Tajikistan’s Abdulmazhid Kudiev in the men’s 65kg quarterfinals on Thursday. 

The defeat ended Sujeet’s 24-match unbeaten streak and dashed his hopes of becoming India’s second men’s freestyle world champion after Sushil Kumar in 2010. The result was particularly painful given Sujeet’s success over the past year. The Indian had won seven titles, including the Under-23 World Championships, the 2026 Asian Championships and the Asian Games. His last defeat had come in the repechage round at the previous World Championships in Zagreb.

Kudiev, the same opponent Sujeet had beaten in the Asian Games final, turned the tables in a dramatic contest that was decided by the criteria rule after both wrestlers finished with three points.

Sujeet entered the quarterfinals after two convincing victories. He began his campaign with a 12-1 win by technical superiority over Switzerland’s Nino Leutert before defeating Belarusian wrestler Islam Guseinov 4-0.

The victory over Guseinov took Sujeet into the last eight, where he faced Kudiev in a rematch of their Asian Games final. That encounter had seen the Indian produce a remarkable comeback, recovering from a 2-9 deficit by scoring eight consecutive points to secure a 10-9 victory and win gold.

The World Championships bout, however, unfolded differently. Sujeet conceded the opening point after being penalised for passivity but responded with a takedown five seconds before the end of the first period to take a 2-1 lead. Kudiev was subsequently penalised for passivity, allowing the Indian to extend his advantage to 3-1.

At that stage, Sujeet appeared to have established control of the contest. However, Kudiev remained in contention, setting up a tense finish in which the outcome would depend on the final exchanges and the officials’ decisions.

Dramatic Final 30 Seconds Decide the Contest

The decisive sequence arrived in the final 30 seconds, when both wrestlers attempted takedowns near the edge of the mat. Sujeet initially appeared to have earned two points for his attempt, but the scoring decision was not immediately upheld. The chair umpire subsequently overturned the original ruling in his favour. Kudiev was also awarded a step-out point, leaving Sujeet seemingly ahead 5-2.

The Tajik corner challenged the decision, and the review changed the complexion of the bout. Sujeet’s two points were cancelled, while Kudiev was awarded two points for his takedown.

The revised score stood at 3-3, bringing the contest level at a critical moment. With neither wrestler able to establish a winning lead, the bout went to criteria. Kudiev had scored the last point and therefore held the advantage under the rule used to separate wrestlers when the score is tied.

Sujeet could not produce a decisive scoring move in the remaining seconds. Kudiev held on to secure the quarterfinal victory, ending the Indian’s unbeaten run in one of the closest contests of the day.

The narrow margin made the defeat especially difficult for Sujeet, who had already demonstrated his ability to overcome Kudiev under pressure at the Asian Games. This time, however, the final sequence and the criteria decision went against him.

India’s men’s freestyle campaign suffered another setback in the 97kg category, where Vicky lost 10-2 to Japan’s Arash Yoshida. Yoshida controlled the contest through his scoring attacks and limited Vicky’s opportunities to build momentum. The Japanese wrestler maintained his advantage to secure a place in the semifinals.

Vicky’s exit meant India would not have a representative in the semifinals of the 97kg category from this bout. Combined with Sujeet’s defeat, the result made it a difficult day for the Indian men’s freestyle wrestlers.

There was a positive result for India in the women’s competition, as Manisha defeated Mongolia’s Bolortuya Khurelkhүү 6-0 to reach the semifinals in the 69kg category. Manisha produced a controlled performance, scoring through two takedowns and two stepouts while keeping her opponent scoreless. The victory secured her progression to the last four and kept her medal hopes alive.

Her result offered India an important boost after the quarterfinal exits of Sujeet and Vicky.

Ahilya Shinde, meanwhile, bowed out of the women’s 55kg competition after losing 9-6 to Turkey’s Tuba Demir. Shinde had taken an early 3-0 lead, but Demir fought back with exposure points and counterattacks to turn the contest around.

Sujeet’s defeat will be a significant disappointment after a year in which he established himself as one of India’s most successful wrestlers. Seven titles and a 24-match winning streak had brought him to the World Championships with substantial momentum.

The quarterfinal against Kudiev ultimately came down to a handful of crucial points and a review in the closing seconds. Unlike their Asian Games final, where Sujeet recovered from a substantial deficit, the Indian could not find a late answer after the score was levelled.

For India, Manisha’s progress into the semifinals provides a continuing medal opportunity. But Sujeet’s exit remains the defining setback of the day, bringing an end to an extraordinary unbeaten run and leaving the Indian wrestler to reflect on a quarterfinal decided by the smallest of margins.