Indian men and women entered the finals of the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup 2025 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday night (January 18).

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In a captivating display of skill and resilience, the Indian men’s kho kho team overcame a strong South African challenge to secure their spot in the summit clash with a 62-42 victory. The match showcased exceptional defensive prowess and strategic gameplay from both sides before India pulled away in the decisive final turn.

SA's strong start

A strong start from the South Africans prevented Pratik Waikar and Aditya Ganpule from going on a Dream Run, with a lot of the credit going to their Wazir. Their attackers then got Mehul and Sachin Bhargo in a tough fight for batch two, but Aniket Pote dragged his batch to 2 minutes and 38 seconds. This summed up Turn 1, as the South Africans managed to score 18 points.

An attacking Indian team came back hard in Turn 2, with Nikhil B in fine form as they had a tough fight on their hands. With just 14 points compared to the South Africans’ 20 points, Aditya Ganpule and Gowtham M got the team back into the game with their expansive play, ensuring the score was 24-20 at the end of Turn 2.

Khozi of South Africa was the main threat for the Indian defenders in Turn 3. He ensured that the Men in Blue were all out within two minutes to prevent the Dream Run, equalising the score in the process. Ramji Kashyap, Pabani Sabar, and Suyash Gargate improved this time to 2 minutes and 30 seconds for batch 2, as the South Africans increased the lead to 38. As Turn 3 came to an end, the score was at 42-28, setting up an exciting final turn in the search for a place in the final.

India vs Nepal in final

Akash Kumar got Khoza and Mehul to give India an extremely important start to Turn 4. With five minutes and 10 seconds left on the clock, the score difference was just 4 points, but the skipper and Wazir Pratik Waikar got Khoza with an exceptional sky dive. It was at this point that Mehul turned up the heat with a move that took them above their opponents. The match eventually ended with an impressive scoreline of 62-42, despite a tough fight from the South Africans.

The Indian team will face Nepal in the final on Sunday, January 19. Nepal qualified after beating Iran 72-29 in their semifinal clash.

Women’s semifinals

The Indian women’s Kho Kho team once again showcased their tactical prowess as they outplayed South Africa 66-16 in the semifinals. The Women in Blue delivered a masterclass in both attack and defence, setting up an exciting final clash with Nepal.

Nepal entered the final after beating Uganda 89-18 in their last-four game.

Match awards

India vs South Africa, Men

Best attacker: Bongani Mtsweni (South Africa)

Best defender: Sachin Bhargo (India)

Best player: Gowtham MK (India)

India vs South Africa, Women

Best attacker: Sinethemba Mosia (South Africa)

Best defender: Nirmala Bhati (India)

Best player: Vaishnavi Pawar (India)