India gears up for Kho Kho World Cup 2025 in New Delhi

The event, backed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), will feature 20 men's teams and 19 women's teams from around the globe. The Indian men's team finds itself in Group A alongside Nepal, Peru, Brazil, and Bhutan, while the women's team is in Group A with the Islamic Republic of Iran, Malaysia, and the Republic of Korea. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals.

The Indian men's team will begin their campaign against Nepal on Monday, following the opening ceremony, while the women's team will face South Korea on Tuesday in their first match.

Both teams have been selected after an extensive training camp held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi in December. The Indian men's team will be led by Pratik Waikar, who made his international debut in 2016. Waikar, also the captain of the Telugu Yoddhas in the Ultimate Kho Kho League, led his team to the finals in 2022 and the semi-finals in 2023. The men's team will be coached by Ashwani Kumar Sharma, a veteran with over five decades of experience. Priyanka Ingle, an all-rounder, will captain the women's team under the guidance of head coach Sumit Bhatia.

Kho Kho, along with other indigenous Indian sports like kabaddi and mallakhamb, was first demonstrated at the Berlin 1936 Olympics. The Kho Kho World Cup 2025 will begin with the group stages, followed by knockout rounds, with the finals scheduled for January 19.

The Indian men's team will open their campaign in the Kho Kho World Cup 2025 on January 13 against Nepal , followed by their match against Brazil on January 14. They will then face Peru on January 15 and Bhutan on January 16. If they qualify, the quarter-finals will take place on January 17, starting, followed by the semi-finals on January 18. The final match for the men's team is scheduled for January 19.

Meanwhile, the Indian women's team will start their tournament against South Korea on January 14, followed by matches against Iran on January 15 and Malaysia on January 16. The quarter-finals for the women's team will take place on January 17, with the semi-finals scheduled for January 18. The final for the women's competition will be held on January 19.

Indian men's kho kho team: Pratik Waikar (captain), Prabani Sabar, Mehul, Sachin Bhargo, Suyash Gargate, Ramji Kashyap, Siva Pothir Reddy, Aditya Ganpule, Gowtham M.K., Nikhil B, Akash Kumar, Subramani V., Suman Barman, Aniket Pote, S. Rokeson Singh. Standby: Akshay Bangare, Rajvardhan Shankar Patil, Vishwanath Janakiram.

Indian women's kho kho team: Priyanka Ingle (captain), Ashwini Shinde, Reshma Rathore, Bhilar Devjibhai, Nirmala Bhati, Neeta Devi, Chaithra R., Subhashree Sing, Magai Majhi, Anshu Kumari, Vaishnavi Bajrang, Nasreen Shaikh, Meenu, Monika, Nazia Bibi. Standby: Sampada More, Ritika Siloriya, Priyanka Bhopi. (ANI)