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Thanks to the era of internet, I was able to watch the World Cup Kabaddi final in Ludhiana right at home here in Shah Alam on my laptop.
I was expecting a classic final between traditional rivals India and Pakistan but it turned out to be a demolition derby.
India proved beyond doubt that they are the kingpins of the game with a masterful display to humble Pakistan 58-24 in the final.
Earlier, in the playoff for third place, Canada steamrolled past a hapless Italy 66-22. Canadian Kuljit Singh Malsihan was adjudged as the tournament’s Best Raider.
Both India and Pakistan were the only unbeaten teams after the preliminary stages and expectations were high that that the final would turn out to be a touch and go affair.
Pakistan’s dreaded raiding capabilities was completely negated by the excellent defence lead by Indian captain Mangat Singh Mangi.
Mangat, who played his captains role to a tee, Making seven stops in the first half alone. He was adjudged as the Best Stopper of the tournament and received a tractor for his efforts.
By halftime, India had already built a massive 26-12 lead and Pakistan was in desperation mode.
The second half brought no relieve for the Pakistan side. And as the teams took a time out during the second half, India had already amassed a 44-16 lead.
The final score could have been much higher, but India let off the throttle during the closing stages with their win secured.
What makes the win more remarkable was the fact that the entire Indian team was made up of players from the state of Punjab alone.
Nine international teams including Pakistan, US, England, Canada, Iran, Italy, Spain and Australia participated in the tournament that offered a whopping RS 1 crore for the winning team.
The tournament, despite its controversial start has been an eye opener on the popularity of the game. More than 100,000 spectators, reportedly turned out at the Guru Nanak stadium to witness the final.
The state government of Punjab must be lauded for their efforts to make this a truly international game.
