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In an enthralling contest filled with skydives, lunges and displays of athleticism, the Indian men would rise to the challenge and sink the scintillating South African side to seal their spot in the final.
It was another brilliant day for India at the Kho Kho World Cup.
In a double whammy of sorts for India, the men’s team would follow the example set by their female counterparts earlier in the evening, and battle it out against a relentless South African team to seal a thrilling 60-42 win and their place in the final of the Kho Kho World Cup 2025 on Saturday.
The Pratik Waikar-led Indian team had laid all their opponents so far to waste, demolishing them with ease. Yet, the South African men, powered with vengeance on their minds after the elimination of their female counterparts in the Women’s semi-final, were in no mood to let the past haunt them.
India were sent out to defend first, in a similar fashion to the Women’s team earlier in the night. The outcome though would be anything but the same, as the motivated South Africans came out guns blazing.
South Africa pounced around with revenge on their minds, hunting the Indian defenders, who fell victim to the agile play of the visitors. Before Waikar and co. knew it, India were well down the hatch, as the Proteans piled on the points in Turn 1, suffocating the Indians to succumb to a 0-20 deficit.
Awakened by the ferocious play of the South Africans, India came out hungry to dole out punishment of their own. They would achieve the very same, gunning down the first batch of SA defenders within a minute and a half, as India went on the prowl with a renewed passion.
Skydives, lunges and reviews galore, the hosts would throw themselves at the visitors in every way possible as they ultimately eliminated the deficit within five minutes, and regained a slender lead of 28-20 by the end of Turn 2.
With just eight points separating the two teams, Turn 3 was poised to be the defining period in the game, and the onus was on the home side to escape the clutches of the visitors at any cost.
When skipper Waikar and Ganpule failed to persist, defender Gowtham MK would rise to the occasion, zigzagging his way past the wily Africans to burn two minutes off the clock at the start of Turn 3.
Audacious displays of athleticism and showboating would follow, as India would eat up more than four minutes of game time before South Africa finally regained the lead.
The visitors, left with just about two and a half minutes on the clock to build a lead, would leave it all out on the mat, hunting down the Indians and notching 12 more points, to go into the final Turn with the scores 28-42 in favor of the Proteans.
It all came down to the final Turn. 14 points separated the Indians from taking the penultimate step to glory. And the Proteans came out with the goal of making the hosts would work to salvage every single one of them, if they were to cause an upset.
India would make fairly easy work of the two defenders at the start of the Turn. But, a wily Ngobo would make the Indians toil before being captured after almost burning two minutes off the clock.
With the deficit now down to single digits, and around five minutes left on the clock, Waikar and co. kicked into overdrive, eliminating the second round of defenders in a mere 33 seconds, as India inched closer to victory.
And with three minutes left on the clock, it would be Aniket Pote, who would break the deadlock, presenting India with the lead, one that the hosts would not let go of till the very end.
South Africa, despite their spirited efforts, would ultimately fall as the hosts would emerge victorious, sealing the emphatic win with a score of 60-42 at the final whistle.
India will now face off against familiar foes Nepal, who they beat in the opener of the tournament, in the final tomorrow Sunday.
