In a thrilling culmination of the late Prof. U. D. Ingle (Baba) Memorial Cup Men’s and Women’s 59th State Championship Khokho, Pune emerged victorious in the men’s category, while Thane claimed the title in the women’s category. This year’s tournament showcased intense competition, with defending champions Mumbai Suburbs and Pune securing commendable runner-up positions.
Pune’s Rahul Mandal and Thane’s Kajal Bhor were lauded for their outstanding performances and honored with the Raje Sambhaji and Rani Ahilya awards, respectively.
In a nail-biting final held at Suresh Jadhav Stadium, Pune clinched victory by a narrow margin of 2 points, defeating the defending champions Mumbai Suburban with a final score of 25-23. Despite trailing 6-7 at halftime, Mumbai Suburban displayed bravery, equalizing the score at 16-16. However, Pune ultimately secured the win in a nine-minute overtime, avenging last year’s defeat. Key contributors to Pune’s success were Rahul Mandal and Pratik Waikar, with Rahul earning the Best All-Rounder award and Prateek bagging the Best Keeper award.
Omkar Sonawane of Mumbai Suburban was honored with the Best Attacker award for his stellar performance, while Thane’s Pooja Fargade and Reshma Rathod were recognized as the Best Aggressive and Defender, respectively, in the women’s category.
Thane successfully defended their title by defeating Pune with a score of 15-14 in the women’s final. Pooja Fargade, with six points in attack, played a crucial role in Thane’s victory. Kajal Bhor of Pune received the Best All-Rounder title for her outstanding contribution, saving 2.10 minutes in the first inning and 1.50 minutes in the second inning, scoring four points.
In the third-place matches, Thane secured third place in the men’s category by defeating Sangli 14-12, while Dharashiv celebrated a 10-8 innings victory over Ratnagiri in the women’s category.
The awards ceremony, attended by prominent dignitaries, including Principal Balasaheb Jadhav, MLA Meghna Sakore-Bordikar, and other notable figures, added grandeur to the event. The tournament’s success was a testament to the spirit of sportsmanship and dedication exhibited by the participating teams.
