Haryana edge past Railways to win women’s national kabaddi title

Haryana staged a strong comeback to defeat defending champions Indian Railways 39–37 in the final of the 72nd Women’s Senior National Kabaddi Championship, with Nikita starring as the title clash was decided by fine margins.

Hyderabad: Haryana came from behind to clinch the title at the 72nd Women’s Senior National Kabaddi Championship with a narrow 39–37 victory over defending champions Indian Railways in a closely fought final at the GMC Balayogi Stadium here.

The final lived up to expectations, with both teams trading momentum through the two halves. Haryana edged ahead in the closing stages to secure the win, producing a composed performance under pressure to claim the championship.

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Nikita once again emerged as the standout performer for Haryana, leading the scoring with 17 points through a combination of touch and bonus points. Ruchi provided strong support with nine points, while Raj Rani contributed across raids to keep Haryana in control during key phases of the match.

For Indian Railways, Pooja was the top scorer with 11 points, while another strong all-round contribution came from Pooja and Sonali Shingate, who added six points each. Despite a disciplined defensive effort and a late push, Railways fell just short in a final decided by fine margins.

Haryana’s road to the title featured consistent performances across the knockout stages. After defeating Madhya Pradesh convincingly in the quarterfinals, Haryana overcame pre-tournament favourites Himachal Pradesh in a tight semifinal before delivering another composed display in the final to secure the championship.

Indian Railways, meanwhile, showcased their experience and depth throughout the tournament. They progressed to the final with commanding wins over Maharashtra in the quarterfinals and Tamil Nadu in the semifinals, underlining their status as one of the most consistent sides in the competition before narrowly missing out in the title clash.

The two losing semifinalists, Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, were awarded bronze medals.