India got off to a great start in the first Kho-Kho World Cup. Defeating Nepal 42-37 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Monday. Led by skipper Pratik Waikar. India’s all-round performance capped off a fantastic day of Kho-Kho action. Giving the squad the ideal platform. India’s fast start defined the game, as they wrapped up Nepal’s first three defenders only 60 seconds into Turn 1.
India, led by great flying jumps by Pratik Waikar and Ramji Kashyap. They raced to a large 14-point lead with three minutes remaining in Turn 1, having destroyed two groups of Nepal defenders. Sachin Bhargo, who took over as the ‘Wazir’ from Waikar, performed the night’s best move. He executed a fantastic skydive to bring the score to 24 points at halftime, stopping the Nepal side from completing a ‘Dream Run’.
India’s next men’s encounter is against Brazil on Tuesday, while the hosts’ women’s campaign begins against South Korea. The India-Nepal duel was preceded by a stunning opening ceremony attended by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president and sprint star PT Usha, and thousands of spectators. Vice President Dhankar lit the torch to signal the start of the main event.
India’s Dominance in Kho Kho
While the opening ceremony featured a sand art projection paying homage to Mother Earth, colourful dance performances, and the unveiling of the World Cup trophy for the men’s and women’s tournaments by the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI). Dhankar said at the opening ceremony, “This has been a spectacular start to the tournament. It feels like the entire world is celebrating the game.”
“Today’s momentous occasion will go down in our golden history of sports. I am confident that in the future, our indigenous sports will reach the international level.” Meanwhile, Sports Minister Mandaviya expressed his hope that it might be featured in the Asian Games and even the Olympics shortly.
