Nepali men, women squads enter Kho Kho World Cup finals

Kathmandu, Jan. 19: Both the men’s and women’s teams of Nepal have progressed to the finals of the 1st Kho Kho World Cup in New Delhi, India, defeating Uganda and Iran in the semi-finals on Saturday.

The women’s team defeated Uganda while the men’s emerged victorious over Iran in the games played at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.

The women’s team had entered the knockout stage as the topper of its group comprising Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Germany. The Nepali women’s team defeated all four opponents in the group stage. 

They won against Bhutan, Germany, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh by a score of 83-24, 73-34, 110-10 and 83-24 respectively.

The knockout stage, which started from the quarter-finals, saw Nepali women battling Iran on January 17 and entering the semi-final with a dominating win of 103-8. 

Moreover, Nepali women also maintained a large gap in the win against Uganda. Nepal won by a score of 89-18 in the semis.

Puja Odd and Dipa BK were the best player and defender of the match respectively while Uganda’s Nagawa Dorothy was the best attacker. 

On the other hand, Nepal’s men’s team defeated Iran by a score of 72-20 in the semi-final on Saturday. The men’s squad had four dream runs in its win. 

Bikral Singh Ratgaiya, an all-rounder, was the best player for Nepal in the semis; he had eight touches and two points from skydives. 

The men’s squad had entered the knockout as the Top 2 teams from its group comprising India, Bhutan, Peru and Brazil; India was the topper. Nepal lost only one game in the group stage, to India on January 13.

The men’s team defeated Peru, Brazil and Bhutan by 84-34, 134-8 and 98-8 on January 14, 15 and 16 respectively. 

Facing Bangladesh in the quarter-finals on January 17, Nepal entered the semis with a win of 67-18.

Alongside Nepal, India and South Africa were the only teams whose men’s and women’s teams entered the semi-finals in both categories. India’s men’s and women’s teams were facing South Africa in both semi-finals.

India and South Africa women’s teams were playing after Nepal’s men’s defeated Iran. The men’s teams of India and South Africa were waiting for the women’s game to end to decide on the finalists to face Nepal in both categories for the title on January 19.

Nepal’s women’s team, which has been unbeaten throughout the tournament, has a higher chance for the trophy than the men’s team as the men’s have already lost to India in the tournament opener and the hosts were favourites to win in both categories.