Indian men outplay Nepal to win historic Kho Kho World Cup title

The Indian men's team title came after the women's side were also crowned the champions after defeating Nepal in the final

New Delhi: The Indian men’s team beat Nepal 54-36 in the final to win the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup title here on Sunday.

The Indian men’s team title came after the women’s side were also crowned the champions after defeating Nepal in the final. The Men in Blue dominated the final against Nepal with captain Pratik Waikar and tournament standout Ramji Kashyap leading from the front.

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Attacking first, an exceptional skydive by Ramji Kashyap got Nepal’s Suraj Pujara. Suyash Gargate then touched Bharat Sahu to give India a great start with 10 points in just four minutes.

Skydives were the name of the game for the Men in Blue, and this ensured a bright start for the side in Turn 1, preventing the Dream Run for their opponents. At the end of the turn, the scoreline was 26-0 in favour of the Indians.

In Turn 2, Nepal were not able to match India’s levels but did prevent the home 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, India 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 skydives, and with the support of Ramji Kashyap, another star of the tournament.

Aditya Ganpule was also at his finest, and the home 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 India. But the defenders, once again led by Pratik Waikar and Sachin Bhargo proved too strong. Mehul and Suman Barman were equally impressive.

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.