It was a double thrill for Indian teams at the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup in New Delhi. After the women’s team overcame Nepal 78-40 in the final. The men’s team defeated their arch-rivals 54-36 on Sunday, January 19 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. It was an exciting start to India’s maiden attempt to take its Indigenous sport to the global arena. Both the men’s and women’s teams went undefeated throughout the competition.
After the women’s team demolished Nepal in the final, the men’s team followed suit, taking a commanding lead as early as the end of the first turn. India launched the initial attack and applied persistent pressure on Nepal, much to the pleasure of the packed spectators. Ramji Kashyap struck first, and Nepal’s Suraj Pujara was caught off guard. Suyash Gargate then touched Bharat Sahu to give India a terrific start, scoring 10 points in under 4 minutes.
The Indian men performed more skydives as they embarked on an offensive frenzy, denying Nepal even one fantasy run in the first turn. After the first turn, India had a 26-0 lead, indicating a strong start. In Turn 2, Nepal was unable to match Team India’s performance but did prevent India from completing a dream run. Aditya Ganpule and skipper Pratik Waikar led the team through this phase.
Two Crowns for India
Despite constant contributions from Janak Chand and Suraj Pujara, the side led 26-18 into the second half of the match. India hit their stride in Turn 3, demonstrating unshakeable confidence throughout. Captain Pratik Waikar excelled on the mat with many skydives, thanks to the help of Ramji Kashyap, another tournament hero. Aditya Ganpule was also at his best, and the team’s collective effort lifted the score to 54-18 approaching the final turn of the grand final.
The points guaranteed they had enough to win the final. The inaugural Kho Kho World Cup finals included an outstanding assembly of dignitaries, elevating this historic athletic event. Former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Supreme Court Judge Pankaj Mithal, and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju attended the event.
