Kho Kho World Cup 2025: Indian men's team crush Sri Lanka to reach semifinals

Like their female counterparts, Indian men’s team will also face South Africa in the Kho Kho World Cup 2025 semis.

A brilliant performance from the men’s team was led by the likes of Ramji Kashyap, Pratik Waikar and Aditya Ganpule, as India scored 58 points in Turn 1. They prevented the Sri Lankans from scoring a single point via Dream Runs, ensuring a strong start to the game at the end of the first turn. The Sri Lankans worked hard in Turn 2, with Aniket Pote and leading the charge, alongside Aditya Ganpule. 

Ramji Kashyap joined the party soon after for his team, but the Sri Lankan attackers were no less. They ensured that the home team were not settled throughout the second turn, getting the Indians in crucial moments of the turn, but this wasn’t enough as the India already had a substantial lead by then, giving them a strong platform at the start of Turn 3.

In Turn 3, there was an attacking barrage by the India. Siva Reddy, V Subramani, the Wazir Pratik Waikar got a plethora of sky dives and pole dives to keep the Sri Lankans quiet. The onus was on the Sri Lankans, but they were not allowed to take my initiative, as the hosts reached 100 points at the end of the third turn, almost ensuring their place in the semi-final of the Kho Kho World Cup 2025.

Pabani Sabar joined Aniket Pote and Siva Reddy in the first batch of the final turn of the match. As the match ended with the score 100-40, the home team secured a place in the Kho Kho World Cup 2025 semifinals with much ease. 

India crushes Bangladesh in Women’s Kho Kho World Cup 2024 Quarterfinals

In a spectacular display of skill and teamwork, the women’s kho kho team secured their semi-final berth at the 2025 World Cup with a commanding 109-16 victory over Bangladesh. Led by captain Priyanka Ingle, the team showcased their dominance from the very first turn, with experienced players Nasreen Shaikh and Priyanka Ingle setting the tone early.

The defending champions continued their impressive form as they orchestrated a remarkable Dream Run in Turn 2, with the trio of Ingle, Ashwini Shinde, and Reshma Rathod maintaining possession for an extraordinary 5 minutes and 36 seconds, adding 6 crucial points to their substantial lead.

The match reached new heights in Turn 3 when Reshma Rathod’s spectacular sky dive helped India achieve their fifth consecutive 100+ points performance in the tournament. The dominance continued into the final turn, where India executed another impressive three-point Dream Run to seal the victory.

Bangladesh struggled to find their rhythm throughout the match, managing only four simple touches in Turn 2 as India’s defense proved impenetrable. The convincing victory sets up an eagerly anticipated semi-final clash scheduled for Saturday, January 18, as India continue their quest to win the coveted trophy.

Read full women’s team match report here

Match Awards

Best Attacker of the match: V Subramani (Team India)

Best Defender of the match: Sasinadu (Team Sri Lanka)

Best Player of the match: Ramji Kashyap

Quarter-final Results

Women’s Category

In the women’s category, Uganda demonstrated remarkable prowess with a decisive victory over New Zealand, securing their semi-final berth with a final score of 71-26. South Africa emerged victorious in a closely contested match against Kenya, winning 51-46 to advance to the next round. Nepal dominated their quarter-final clash against Iran with an impressive score of 103-8.

Men’s Category

In the men’s division, Iran showcased exceptional performance against Kenya, claiming a commanding win with a score of 86-18. South Africa triumphed over England in a decisive match, securing their semi-final spot with a 58-38 victory. Nepal secured their semi-final berth with a convincing win over Bangladesh, posting a final score of 67-18.

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