Rivals Left Reeling
Thrilling Matches at Kazipet Railway Ground; Winning Teams March into Next Round
Kazipet (Telangana): The 58th Senior National Kho-Kho Championship, underway at the Railway Ground in Kazipet, has captured the attention of sports lovers from the very first day. Organised by the Telangana Kho-Kho Association, the championship has brought together top teams from across the country. The opening matches witnessed a spectacular blend of speed, agility, skill and strategy. Powerhouse teams such as Maharashtra, Kolhapur, Railways and Chhattisgarh registered commanding victories, dismantled their opponents and confidently advanced to the next round.
Teams Advancing to the Pre-Quarterfinals
In the Men’s category, the teams to reach the pre-quarterfinal stage are Maharashtra, Railways, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh, Kolhapur, Gujarat, Odisha, Vidarbha, Kerala, Delhi, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana.
In the Women’s category, the qualified teams include Maharashtra, Odisha, Vidarbha, Airports, Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan, Kolhapur, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Maharashtra Women Dominate Uttar Pradesh
In the women’s section, Maharashtra produced a dominant performance to defeat Uttar Pradesh by 44–10, winning by 1 inning and 34 points to top the group. Maharashtra earned 8 points through Dream Run. Outstanding contributions came from Sarita Diva (2.50 min defence, 2 points), Suhani Dhotre (1.30 min defence, 8 points), Reshma Rathod (2.00 min defence, 6 points), Priyanka Ingale (1.10 min defence, 14 points) and Sandhya Survase (2.10 min defence, 2 points). For Uttar Pradesh, Anju Yadav (1.00 min defence) and Shivani (2 points) put up a fighting effort.
Strong Win Against Chandigarh
Continuing their impressive run, Maharashtra women defeated Chandigarh by 42–12, winning by 1 inning and 30 points. Shweta Navale (1.50 min, 1.50 min defence), Reshma Rathod (2.20 min defence, 2 points) and Priyanka Ingale (1.50 min defence, 6 points) played key roles. Ritu of Chandigarh (1.00 min defence, 2 points) stood out despite the loss.
Men’s Team Maharashtra Overpowers Uttar Pradesh
In the men’s category, Maharashtra secured a convincing 25–15 victory over Uttar Pradesh, winning by 10 points with 5 minutes to spare. Suyash Gargate (2.10 min defence, 4 points), Nihar Dubale (4 points), Pratik Vaikar (2.00 min defence) and Rishikesh Murchavade (2.10 min defence) delivered a strong all-round performance. Uttar Pradesh saw resistance from Mohit Pal (4 points), Ashish (2.00 min defence, 2 points) and Rohit Pal (1.30 min unbeaten defence, 2 points).
One-Sided Win Against Jammu and Kashmir
Maharashtra continued its dominance by thrashing Jammu and Kashmir 48–14, winning by 1 inning and 34 points. Vijay Shinde (2.50 min, 1.20 min), Suyash Gargate (3.00 min), Shubham Thorat (1.10 min defence, 6 points) and Rudra Thopte along with Pratik Vaikar (6 points each) completely controlled the match.
Kolhapur Men Crush Tripura
The Kolhapur men’s team registered a massive 49–6 victory over Tripura, winning by 1 inning and 43 points. Viraj Galgate (1.40 min defence), Rajvardhan (2.10 min defence, 2 points) and Mazhar Jamdar (10 points) played a decisive role. For Tripura, Sagar Miha and Abhiji Namhe scored 2 points each in attack.
Kolhapur Women Outclass Bihar
In the women’s category, Kolhapur delivered a dominant performance to defeat Bihar 56–6, winning by 1 inning and 50 points. Amruta Babaso (1.20 min, 3.40 min defence, 14 points), Shravani Lakshmun (5.40 min defence, 10 points) and Shreya Rajgonda (6 points) starred for Kolhapur. Riya Rani (1.00 min defence) was the lone bright spot for Bihar.
Thrilling Draw Between Haryana and Central India
A highly competitive women’s match between Haryana and Central India ended in a 24–24 draw. Haryana’s performance was led by Manesh (2.20 min, 2.20 min defence, 2 points), Anchal (3.10 min defence), Khushboo (6 points) and Kafi (6 points). Central India responded strongly through Rohini (3.20 min defence, 4 points), Akshara (1.50 min, 1.20 min defence) and Isha (8 points).
Brief Results: Other Exciting Encounters
In the men’s section, Chhattisgarh edged past All India Police 26–25 by 1 point, while the Railway Sports Board defeated Chandigarh 48–20, winning by 1 inning and 28 points.
In the women’s section, Karnataka beat West Bengal 27–18 by 9 points, Rajasthan narrowly defeated Telangana 22–20 by 2 points, and Chhattisgarh overcame Uttar Pradesh 24–12 by 12 points.
