In what would turn out to be a surgical and clinical dismantling of Nepal, the Indian Women’s team triumphed over the visitors, sealing a commanding victory of 78-40 to win the first-ever Kho Kho World Cup on Sunday.
After having put up a dominant campaign unlike any other, going undefeated all through the group stages and the knockouts, all that stood in the way of Priyanka Ingle and the Indian Women’s team was none other than familiar foes Nepal.
With both teams having notched statement wins against their respective opponents in the semi-finals, it was now down to one final showdown to decide who would take home the spoils and the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup.
Nepal won the toss and sent India out to attack first, a move that would backfire on the visitors, as the hosts would willingly take the chance to rack up the points and the pressure on the opponents out the gate.
That is exactly what India would achieve, as they ran out the first batch of defenders from Nepal – Saraswoti, Puja and Dipa – in a mere 50 seconds to set the tone for Turn 1.
Punam, Nisha, and Manmati of Nepal were tasked with slowing down the pace to ensure a shift of momentum. Yet the relentless Indian women would continue to hound the visitors, highlighted by a sensational double out by none other than skipper Ingle, as they piled on the points and misery to end the turn with a commanding lead of 34-0.
If the visitors were to stay in the contest, it was pivotal for Nepal to replicate India’s aggression with their own attack. But India’s trio of Chaithra, Vaishnavi and Ingle had other plans.
The opening trio of defenders for the hosts would force the visitors to run around in circles, eating up more than three minutes of time, courtesy of one pestering Chaithra, to score a Dream Run.
Nepal would recoup and find some momentum to chip away at India’s lead. But, they would be no match for the speed and agility of Ingle and co. as Turn 2 came to an end at 35-24, with India holding an 11-point lead.
Ingle and her teammates would only continue to dominate as the attacking side in Turn 3 as well, eliminating over six batches of defenders, to take a towering 73-24 lead over Nepal.
Nepal were in need of nothing short of a miracle, if they were to pull off an upset – a miracle they would fail to find despite their best efforts.
India’s trusty trio of defenders, led by Chaithra, would yet again exhaust the visitors, piling on Dream Runs at will as they choked out Nepal’s hopes and dreams methodically.
At the end of it all, an exasperated Nepal would succumb to the unrelenting Indians, who would end the Turn and the final with a score of 78-40 to end their undefeated campaign and earn themselves the title of the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup champions.
