Hours after the women's team's spectacular victory, the Indian men's team dominated the final against Nepal with a commanding 54-36 victory to lift the 2025 Kho Kho World Cup title on Sunday.
India were bolstered by outstanding performances from captain Pratik Waikar and tournament standout Ramji Kashyap.
Attacking first, an exceptional sky dive 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.
Sky dives were the name of the game for the hosts 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 score line was 26-0 in favor of the Indians.
In Turn 2, Nepal were not able to match Team India's levels but did prevent the side from going on a single dream run. Aditya Ganpule and skipper 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 were in their stride in Turn 3, displaying unwavering confidence throughout. Waikar shone on the mat with multiple sky dives with the support of Kashyap.
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 India. But the defenders, once again led by Waikar Sachin Bhargo 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.
India showcased their dominance throughout the tournament, beginning with convincing victories over Nepal, Brazil, Peru, and Bhutan in the group stages.
Their momentum continued through the knockout rounds, where they outclassed Bangladesh in the quarter-finals before overcoming a strong South African side in the semi-finals.