NEW DELHI: 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.
In Turn 4, despite Nepal’s determined efforts to stage a comeback, India’s defence remained solid under Pratik Waikar and Sachin Bhargo’s leadership, with notable contributions from Mehul and Suman Barman.
India’s path to victory included decisive wins against Brazil, Peru and Bhutan in the group stages, followed by a commanding performance against Bangladesh in the quarterfinals and a victory over South Africa in the semifinals.