The Indian men’s and women’s kho kho teams made history at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday by defeating Nepal in their respective finals, thereby securing the titles of the Kho Kho World Cup 2025. The men’s team triumphed with a score of 54-36, while the women’s team showcased their prowess with a commanding 78-40 victory over their Nepalese counterparts. This inaugural edition of the Kho Kho World Cup, supported by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), featured 20 men’s teams and 19 women’s teams. In the men’s final, Nepal won the toss and chose to defend, but India capitalized on their opportunity to take the lead early in the match. Despite Nepal’s commendable efforts, they entered the final turn facing a 36-point deficit, which proved insurmountable, allowing India to etch their name in history as the first-ever champions of the Kho Kho World Cup.
Throughout the tournament, India remained undefeated, finishing at the top of Group A with four victories, including a narrow 42-37 win against Nepal. They subsequently defeated Sri Lanka in the quarter-finals and South Africa in the semi-finals. In the women’s final, after winning the toss, Nepal opted to let India attack first, a decision that ultimately backfired as India quickly accumulated points, applying early pressure on their opponents. Although Nepal managed to narrow the gap to 35-24 by the end of Turn 2, India maintained their lead. In Turn 3, India continued to assert their dominance, eliminating over six batches of defenders and extending their lead to 73-24. The Indian defenders executed a strong performance in the final turn, securing a comfortable victory and earning the title of the inaugural Women’s Kho Kho World Cup champions. The Indian women’s team also completed the tournament without a loss, winning all three of their Group A matches and defeating Bangladesh and South Africa in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, respectively.