By Nikhar Budhadev
The High Commissioner of India hosted an elegant high tea today for the Australian men’s and women’s Kho Kho teams, alongside their families, in a spirited send-off before their World Cup campaign in New Delhi.
The event began with an inspiring address by the High Commissioner, who praised the cultural bridge built by Kho Kho and its growing popularity in Australia.
Team president Nick highlighted the painstaking effort behind putting the team together over the past few months and expressed his hopes for a strong showing, saying,
“I can’t wait to see our team in the finals against India.”
Ojas, captain of the men’s team, shared the challenges and triumphs of their preparation, stating,
“Since our players are from Canberra, Sydney, and Melbourne, we faced a few hiccups initially. But we organised national camps to build team cohesion, and now we’re ready for the challenge ahead.”
Reflecting on his journey, he added, “Having played Kho Kho for almost 10 years, it’s a wonderful feeling to represent this sport in Australia and strengthen the bond within the Indian-Australian community.”
Teammates Michael and Bill echoed his sentiments. Michael said,
“We’ve done multiple weekly training sessions, focusing on both fitness and strategy, and I’m excited to showcase how much we’ve grown to love this sport.”
Bill expressed confidence in the team, stating,
“We’ve come so far in just three months, and I’m looking forward to playing against India and England.”
Women’s vice-captain Bridget shared her enthusiasm:
“I’ve been training four times a week and cannot wait to compete on the international stage. I think Kho Kho is the greatest sport Australia hasn’t heard about yet, but that’s about to change.”
Fellow player Joy added,
“Kho Kho challenges every aspect of you – agility, strategy, teamwork – and I’ve loved every moment of it. Playing with a full women’s team at the World Cup will be an incredible experience.”
The high tea featured a delectable spread of samosas, sushi, tea, and juices, creating a lively atmosphere as players shared their excitement. The Australian teams depart for New Delhi this Saturday and will face England in their opening matches on 14 January.
Kho Kho, a fast-paced team sport rooted in Indian tradition, combines agility and strategy as players work to evade or tag their opponents. With growing interest in Australia, this World Cup marks a significant milestone for the sport’s global reach.
The inaugural Kho Kho World Cup features men’s and women’s tournaments starting with group stages, followed by knockouts. The men’s event will feature 20 teams while the women’s category will field 19. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals. Matches will follow a 12-per-side format.
Men’s Teams:
- Group A: India, Nepal, Peru, Brazil, Bhutan
- Group B: South Africa, Ghana, Argentina, Netherlands, Iran
- Group C: Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Republic of Korea, USA, Poland
- Group D: England, Germany, Malaysia, Australia, Kenya
Women’s Teams:
- Group A: India, Iran, Malaysia, Republic of Korea
- Group B: England, Australia, Kenya, Uganda, Netherlands
- Group C: Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Germany, Bangladesh
- Group D: South Africa, New Zealand, Poland, Peru, Indonesia
Support Our Journalism
The global Indian Diaspora and Australia’s multicultural communities need fair, non-hyphenated, and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. The Australia Today—with exceptional reporters, columnists, and editors—is doing just that. Sustaining this requires support from wonderful readers like you.
Travel insurance
Whether you live in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States of America, or India you can take a paid subscription by clicking Patreon
