Vadodara, February 27 Indian Railways won the 72nd Senior Men's National Kabaddi Championship title after defeating Maharashtra 49-31 in the final here on Friday.
Led by Sunil Kumar, the most successful captain of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), Railways overcame 29 teams divided into eight pools after 54 matches over the last four days.
Before reaching the final, Railways had defeated teams like Chandigarh and Karnataka, and then secured their victory against a strong Maharashtra side led by Aslam Inamdar, one of the top players in PKL.
The final day of the tournament featured four teams in action, with two semifinal games played between Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, and Indian Railways and Chandigarh, respectively.
After winning their semifinal matches, Railways and Maharashtra advanced to the final, with the former dominating due to their strong overall performance.
Pankaj Mohite led the raiding unit with 12 points, while Ashu Malik, who also led Dabang Delhi KC to victory in PKL 12, contributed eight points.
Railways' defense effectively complemented the raiders, finishing with 14 tackle points and applying sustained pressure on Maharashtra throughout the contest.
Despite efforts from Shivam Patare and Aslam Inamdar, Maharashtra struggled to match Railways' intensity, and the latter ultimately secured the championship by an 18-point margin.
