71st Senior National Men's Kabaddi Championship wraps up
The 71st Senior National Men's Kabaddi Championship was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha India. Organised by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), the tournament ran from February 20 to 23, 2025. It features 30 teams from all over the country competing for the title.
Services aced the championship by beating Railways in a close match that ended 30-30. They won in a tie-breaker, scoring 6-4. Led by star player Naveen Kumar, Services showed great skill and teamwork throughout the tournament, including a big win in the semi-finals.
Tournament highlights
The tournament has already had some massive matches. Teams are now fighting for a place in the knockout stage, where the best teams will play against each other. Here are some of the results:
- Indian Railways vs. Manipur (Day 1) – Indian Railways won 59-17.
- Haryana vs. Telangana (Day 2) – Haryana won 50-20.
- Services vs. Chhattisgarh (Day 2) – Services won 70-33.
- Uttar Pradesh vs. Tamil Nadu (Day 2) – Uttar Pradesh won with 45-44.
- Gujarat vs. Andhra Pradesh (Day 2) – Andhra Pradesh won 40-39.
Day 4 match highlights
The tournament reached its final stage with intense battles. Services and Railways faced a thrilling final after winning their semi-final matches. Here are the results:
- Services vs. Punjab (Semi-Final 1) – Services won 43-35.
- Railways vs. Uttar Pradesh (Semi-Final 2) – Railways won 42-34.
- Final: Services vs. Railways (Final) – Services won 30-30 (6-4) in a tie-breaker.
Services made a strong comeback to win their first Senior National Men’s Kabaddi Championship title since 2015.
Looking back at last year
In 2024, Haryana won the tournament against Maharashtra in the second semi-final to reach the final. Indian Railways finished second. Services also played well. The matches were exciting, and fans saw excellent performances. This shows that the team has great players and coordination which is enough to be considered as top rivals.
What to expect next year?
As the tournament moves forward, the matches will get harder. The strongest teams will play each other in the knockout round. These teams have top players like Mohammadreza Shadloui, Naveen Kumar, and Shubham Shinde. They will be important for their teams’ success. Here are some of the best teams to watch for next year:
- Haryana – They won the championship last year and have many strong players. Their experience makes them one of the top teams this year.
- Indian Railways – After competing for the final round with the Services they proved that they are a top team contender in Kabaddi. They have been strong in past tournaments and will aim to win again for the next season.
- Services – After winning this year and having Kumar as one of their best players in the tournament, their skills and teamwork will continue to make them a powerful team to watch again in 2026.
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