New Delhi:19/1/25: While displaying masterclass skill and energy, the Indian Women’s Kho Kho team scripted history by clinching the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup 2025 title at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here this evening.
The Women in Blue dominated Nepal in a spectacular final, sealing their victory with an emphatic score of 78-40.
This win of the Indian women’s team also brought cheers among the people of Odisha as the State is the sponsor of the Indian National Kho Kho teams.
During the three-year sponsorship, Odisha has announced to invest ₹5 Crore annually. From January 2025 to December 2027 sponsorship period, Odisha will provide sponsorship package of ₹15 Crore.
In the final, a brisk start epitomized 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 touchpoints to her name, as the Indians started seriously. This was enough to take the Women in Blue to 34 points and prevent a single Dream Run for the Nepal team.
Manmati Dhami got Vaishnavi Pawar, and Samjhana B eliminated Priyanka Ingle but Chaithra B took India’s first batch of Turn 2 into the Dream Run. It wasn’t for long though, as Dipa completed the ALL OUT just moments later. This got the side back into the game but they only managed to score 24 points at the end of Turn 2, with an 11-point deficit at halftime.
Team India was once again a dominant force in Turn 3, never allowing the Nepal defenders to settle in their stride. Dipa BK was a regular for Nepal but it went in vain throughout, ensuring that the Indians edged closer to the trophy.
Chaithra B was the orchestrator of the Dream Run for India, taking the score to a massive 78 points in Turn 4. Their batch went on for a massive 5 minutes and 14 seconds, closing out the game for India and confirming them as the first-ever champions of the Kho Kho World Cup 2025.
India’s path to glory included commanding victories over South Korea, IR Iran, and Malaysia in the group stages, followed by a triumph against Bangladesh in the quarter-finals and a masterful win over South Africa in the semi-finals. This historic achievement not only crowns India as the inaugural world champion but also marks a watershed moment for this Indigenous sport on the global stage.
MATCH AWARDS
Best Attacker of the match: Anshu Kumari (Team India)
Best Defender of the match: Manmati Dhani (Team Nepal)
Best Player of the match: Chaithra B (Team India)
Odisha’s sponsorship will facilitate team development, training infrastructure, and participation in national and international competitions.