
The Indian men’s team clinched the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup championship by defeating Nepal 54-36 in the final on Sunday. This victory followed the Indian women’s team’s triumph over Nepal in their respective final.
The final match saw India’s commanding performance, with captain Pratik Waikar and star player Ramji Kashyap showing exceptional leadership.
In the opening attack, Ramji Kashyap executed a brilliant sky dive to capture Nepal’s Suraj Pujara. India secured 10 points within four minutes when Suyash Gargate successfully touched Bharat Sahu.
The Indian team’s excellent sky dives in Turn 1 resulted in a substantial lead of 26-0, effectively preventing Nepal from establishing any momentum.
During Turn 2, whilst Nepal improved their defence and prevented India from achieving a Dream Run, they struggled to match India’s intensity. Despite consistent touches from Janak Chand and Suraj Pujara, the combination of Aditya Ganpule and captain Pratik Waikar helped India maintain a 26-18 advantage at halftime.
Turn 3 demonstrated India’s superior performance, with captain Pratik Waikar executing multiple successful sky dives, supported by tournament standout Ramji Kashyap.
Aditya Ganpule’s outstanding performance, combined with the team’s coordinated effort, extended India’s lead to 54-18 before the final turn.
Also read: ‘Aim to have kho kho in 2032 Olympics’In the women’s final, a brisk start epitomised Turn 1 as the Indian attackers took charge of proceedings. Three batches in, the Nepal women were out by simple touches on 7 occasions, with 14 points to India’s name. Skipper Priyanka Ingle was in the best of form for her team with multiple touch points to her name, as the Indians started off in an exceptional manner.
In Turn 2, Nepal were not able to match Team India’s levels but did prevent the side from going on a single Dream Run. Aditya Ganpule and skipper Pratik Waikar carried the team through this turn, and despite regular touches from the likes of Janak Chand and Suraj Pujara, the side carried a 26-18 lead into the second half of the clash.
India were in their stride in Turn 3, displaying unwavering confidence throughout. Captain Pratik Waikar shone on the mat with multiple sky dives, and with the support of Ramji Kashyap, another star of the tournament. Aditya Ganpule was also at his finest, and the team’s collective effort took the score to 54-18 entering the final turn of the match — and the tournament.
Nepal fought hard in Turn 4 in their bid to come back against Team India. But the defenders, once again led by Pratik Waikar and this time Sachin Bhargo — fondly known as Chingari — proved too strong. Mehul and Suman Barman were equally impressive, and this sealed a much-deserved trophy for Team India as the score read 54-36 at the end of the final.
The team’s journey to the championship was nothing short of remarkable. India showcased their dominance throughout the tournament, beginning with convincing victories over Brazil, Peru, and Bhutan in the group stages. Their momentum continued through the knockout rounds, where they outclassed Bangladesh in the quarterfinals before overcoming a strong South African side in the semifinals.