In their first-ever Junior Kabaddi World Cup Championship, India defeated the first-ever champions and went undefeated throughout the competition. The Junior Kabaddi World Cup Championship's second edition came to an end on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Urmia, Iran. India won the trophy after defeating the hosts 41-33 in the championship match.
After crushing Chinese Taipei 54-36 in the quarterfinal, the men in blue kept up their dominant play. They finished the league stage undefeated after their lopsided wins over Thailand and Bangladesh in Group C Supremacy with a decisive victory of 75-29 against bitter rivals Pakistan. The team secured their spot in the final against the previous winners, Iran.
The coaches of this side are Anup Kumar, a former captain of Vivo Pro Kabaddi who won a title, and Sanjeev Baliyan, coach of the current winners. Along with a number of up-and-coming players from Vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 9, Ankush Rathee, the star left corner for the Jaipur Pink Panthers, captained the youthful team. The vice-captain of the team was Manjeet from Dabang Delhi K.C. In addition to U Mumba's budding star Jai Bhagwan, the finest rookie of Vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 9, Narender spearheaded India's offensive. Team defence was assisted by the Patna Pirates' Sagar.
At halftime, the hosts of the summit match between Iran and India were up by just one point. The contest took a turn for the better when Ankush Rathee performed a fantastic Super Tackle over the Iranian raider with only two players left on the mat for India, down 32-30. From that moment on, the Indian team made sure they had the upper hand and won easily by eight points to take home the coveted prize.
Historical information about the event: India was unable to play due to personal reasons. Hence, Iran defeated Kenya to win the tournament. It was first held in 2019.
The nation is prepared to take on the challenge and take home the medals in the big competition's second version. Iran and India are the front-runners to contend for the prestigious title, according to reports from many media outlets.
India's offense has been flawless as the match has gone on. Their outstanding defense at the most important points will enable the national team to maintain its dominant position against Pakistan.
An overview of the 2023 Junior Kabaddi World Cup Championship is as follows:
Final Score: 41-33 for India over Iran
Winners: India
Iran came in second.
The teams in third place were Nepal and Pakistan.
What is kabaddi?
An important position in Indian culture and history is devoted to Kabaddi. It is often known as the "Game of Warriors." This contact team sport is intense and requires exceptional agility, strategic thinking, and physical power.
A game in which two teams compete on opposing sides of a court or field. Players alternately cross over to the other team's side while chanting "kabaddi, kabaddi" or a different phrase. Points are earned by tagging as many opponents as you can without getting caught or pausing before going back to your own zone.
According to certain theories, the game first appeared in prehistoric times. It is when human response development was essential for both hunting and self-defense.
A military operation—a disastrous attack on an enemy camp by Arjuna's son, Abhimanyu—that has been compared to kabaddi is described in the ancient Indian epic poem Mahabharata, which recounts the fabled wars of Kurukshetra. Indian gurukuls (Vedic institutions led by gurus) used to use kabaddi as a physical education tool for their students. Even if there were some little changes, the basic goal of the game—roaming the enemy territory—remained the same.
Early in the 20th century, the fundamentals of kabaddi were codified in India and published in 1923. When a sporting group from Amravati showcased the game during the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, it gained worldwide attention. Two years later, it was included as an event at the Indian Olympic Games in Calcutta (now Kolkata).
The establishment of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India dates back to 1972. It played a significant role in the late 20th century popularity of organized kabaddi, which started to spread outside of India. In the same year, Bangladesh declared Kabaddi to be their national sport. The Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation was founded in 1978, which led to the organization of a regional tournament. In 1990, national kabaddi teams started participating in the Asian Games.
Alternative forms of kabaddi, such as "circular" kabaddi, were still well-liked in India and other places. Despite that, international competition by the early 21st century usually had seven players per side playing on a rectangular court. National teams from Asia, Europe, and North America competed in the first Kabaddi World Cup. It was held in Mumbai (Bombay) in 2004.
There are other names for this South Asian native game: hu-tu-tu in western India, ha-do-do in eastern India and Bangladesh, chedu-gudu in southern India, gudu in Sri Lanka, and theechub in Thailand.
Cheers and celebrations reverberated around the stadium as Team India proved once and for all that they are the best in junior kabaddi. In addition to securing the championship, the youthful players' deft raids, formidable defenses, and unshakable collaboration served as an inspiration to a generation of aspiring sportsmen.