Panvel, Navi Mumbai, Jan 26 - World champions India retained their crown beating Iran 29-19 in a bitterly contested encounter in the second edition of the World Cup Championships that concluded at the Karnala Sports Academy here today. India were given a jolt by the much improved Iranians who ran them close at 13-12 during the break. India had taken a substantial lead in eight minutes by getting out the whole Iranian team the score read 9-0 at that time with Naveen, Pankaj and Manpreet raiding the opponent territory easily. Vikas the player guarding the Indian left corner made two good holds. He had Ramezanali the six-foot plus Iranian raider in the net first. He was also in action in the eight minute holding Naser Roomiani’s legs. Iran woke up after that trapping Naveen. Iran thereafter got into their stride. They caught Manpreet, trapped Pankaj to narrow the gap to 10-4. India had to then put Rakesh Kumar and Dinesh Kumar in the raiding party. Both of them responded beautifully. Rakesh got a bonus so did Dinesh, but Rakesh failed in his next raid. Iran’s Naser Roomiani came up with a fine raid wherein he got two Indians out and helped his side score a lona. As Naser scored another bonus and Naveen got out Iran caught up with India 12-12. Rakesh’s intelligently taken bonus took India up 13-12 at half-time.

The Iranians though they showed grit and determination they also kept on questioning the Umpire’s decisions constantly. They even threatened to leave the field, but good counsel prevailed in the end. A couple of warning cards flashed by the match officials finally cooled down the Iranians. India kept on earning points through Rakesh, Naveen and when Manpreet got out the three Iranians on the field India earned their second lona to surge ahead 23-13. The Iranians also disputed this. As Pankaj was pushed out and Naveen got trapped Iran came back a bit. Iran made one change. They brought Alicoust Mohammadi for Naser and this man started vociferously challenging the decisions constantly. Finally he was asked to leave the field by the umpire temporarily. With five minutes left India were 25-16 up. At this stage Rakesh got into his final act. In three raids he first kicked Hoosain Saidi, followed by getting Alicoust with a similar ploy and finally had Abdolhamid touched out. With the score at 27-16 India’s victory was assured.

The winners India received a cash prize of rupees 2.5 lakhs and the Iranians who had to be satisfied with the second place went home richer by rupees 1.5 lakhs the defeated semi-finalists Bangladesh and Japan pocketed rupees 50 thousand each. Man of the tournament Kazuhiro Takano earned reward of rupees 50 thousand. Manpreet singh of India was nominated man of the finals and Iran’s Kiyanoush Naderian had the satisfaction of being named best catcher.


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