India won the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup with a narrow 38-29 win over Iran in the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Despite being down by five points at the half-time, the home team launched a comeback to win their third straight World Cup.
Neither side gave an inch in the first few minutes in a close opening. Sandeep Narwal gave India the lead but Iran were not backing down with Mohammadesmaeil getting Iran the bonus. Anup Kumar found a bonus himself to draw India level at 5-5. Captain Meraj Sheykh however pulled off a do-or-die raid as Iran led 9-7.
It was Iran who executed the first all-out of the match, their intensity paying off as India's Nitin Tomar was taken down. Iran took a four-point lead at 16-12 and extended the lead further, finishing at 18-13 at half-time.
A successful review from captain Meraj Sheykh meant India lost Manjeet Chhillar, conceding a lead of six points with three players down for the hosts. But India slowly edged back into the contest as Ajay Thakur pulled off two touch points and then successfully reviewing to narrow the deficit to only two points at 17-19.
India finally levelled scores with a brilliant raid from Ajay Thakur making it 20-20. It was the same man who got another raid to give India the lead at 21-20 as the match drastically swung with India getting the all-out and taking a vital 24-21 lead with just 10 minutes to go.
Having taken a lead, India were in no mood to give it back with Thakur picking up another raid to get his Super 10, and extending the lead to five points. Despite a valiant Iran fightback, India held on and took the game out of the opponent's hands with another all-out from Thakur. Iran did get a bonus but India held on to post a 38-29 win.
In the semi-finals, India crushed Thailand 73-20 to enter their third consecutive World Cup final, while Iran came from behind to overpower a spirited South Korea 28-22. The final between the two sides was a repeat of the 2004 and 2007 editions and India were clear favourites to win the tournament from the start. However, India were stunned in the opening encounter of the tournament when they were beaten 32-34 to South Korea. But, that loss gave India the momentum they were looking for as they won every encounter after that including the final to defend their World Cup crown.
India and Iran’s rivalry has been a one to watch out for. The two sides have met in four major finals (two World Cups and two Asian Games) and India have beaten them in four encounters. However, at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, Iran squandered an eight-point lead in the dying minutes to lose 27-25, a loss which still haunts them to date.
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