New Delhi [India], January 20 : India's Kho Kho World Cup-winning captain Pratik Waikar expressed happiness at securing the first-ever World Cup for the nation, saying that the feeling of being the first-ever skipper to lift the title gives him goosebumps.
In a spectacular display of speed, strategy, and skill, Team India etched their names in sporting history by clinching the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup 2025 title at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on Sunday.
The Men in Blue dominated the final against Nepal with a commanding 54-36 victory, led by outstanding performances from captain Pratik Waikar and tournament standout Ramji Kashyap. They joined the women's team, who dominated Nepal in another excellent final, sealing their victory with an emphatic score of 78-40, as per a press release from the Kho Kho World Cup.
Speaking to ANI after the win, Waikar said, "This feeling gives me goosebumps that I am the first World Cup-winning captain. This win is of the team, would like to credit them. They have worked really hard and given great performances."
Waikar said that when he woke up this morning, he got a call from his idol, his grandfather and he just could not stop his emotions.
"This is so unreal. The dominance we wanted to show, we could do it. Nepal also played well. We stuck to our strategy, executed it well and won the cup. I will never forget this movement. I have seen Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Lionel Messi and all my idols lifting a World Cup," he added.
On receiving a congratulatory tweet from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Waikar said, "Happy that the PM congratulated us. This is our homegrown sport. Hope we will keep getting this support."
PM Modi had earlier congratulated the team on X, posting, "Today's a great day for Indian Kho Kho. Incredibly proud of Indian Men's Kho Kho team for winning the Kho Kho World Cup title. Their grit and dedication is commendable. This win will contribute to further popularising Kho Kho among the youth."
https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1881030933924712527
Indian men's team head coach Ashwani Kumar Sharma said that he never thought he would go down as a World Cup-winning coach.
"Our performance was really nice. The boys performed according to our strategy and plan and that is how we could win the World Cup. Nepal was the best team out of all others and we planned accordingly. The feeling to have lifted the World Cup is unbelievable," he added.
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 4 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 -- a perfect start for the side.
In Turn 2, Nepal was 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 was 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 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.
MATCH AWARDS
Best Attacker of the match: Suyash Gargate (Team India)
Best Defender of the match: Rohit Burma (Team Nepal)
Best Player of the match: Mehul (Team India).