Khelo India Beach Games 2025: Big wins for Goa, Gujarat, Kerala; non-coastal states stay brave in soccer
Amid the breaking waves of a dazzling Arabian Sea in the background, Goa and Rajasthan featured in the boys' opening match of the day. There couldn't have been more contrasting teams, and the match, 13-9 in favour of the Goans, validated that point.
Goa is a full of beaches while Rajasthan has none. Which means, the Goans were kind of at home and the Rajasthanis were at sea. Which leads to the question: are the non-coastal regions going to find it tough at KIBG 2025? Not necessarily since last year in the Diu Beach Games it was actually Madhya Pradesh, a non-coastal state, that ran away with most medals but of course, there will be challenges.
Rajasthan team manager Hari Om listed the set of challenges his team faced in the lead-up to the KIBG.
'It's not that easy for us, a non-coastal state. I mean we practice on an artificial field of play back in Rajasthan. What we do is get tons of sands on trucks from southern Rajasthan but do what we will, this sand is so different from the one which we use for our practice,' he said, as quoted from SAI Media Release.
'We started very well against Goa but then we got tired and they pounced on us. Going forward we need to focus on this aspect, stamina. We also need to focus on proper hydration. One of the players today fell sick. So, these are the challenges a non-coastal team like us faces,' he added.
Uttar Pradesh girls coach Mukesh Kumar Sabberwal echoed the sentiments even though they got their campaign off to a good start.
'We practice on grass, not even sands. Today we won against the girls' team of Rajasthan which is also a non-coastal state but once we go up against coastal teams, that will be a totally different ball game,' he said.
'When we play against non-coastal teams, we know we will win somehow. We are beach boys, familiar with the sand and sea, so we are always confident against these teams. We should have won this match with a bigger margin though,' he added.
For the uninitiated, beach soccer is different than the soccer that's played on grass turf. For one thing, there are five players a side. For another, it's a much shorter game with three periods of 12 minutes each. There are eight states each in the boys' and girls' categories and they are divided into two pools, and the top two teams from each pool will reach the semis. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
3 hours ago
- NDTV
Ex-MI Teammate On Reason Behind Rohit Sharma's Test Retirement: "He Would've Known..."
Former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard spoke on former Indian Test skipper Rohit Sharma's retirement from the longest format. He believes that Sharma, having achieved a lot, knows what he wants for his career and emphasised that Hitman's pride in his performance will always be a driving factor. Sharma has announced his retirement from Test cricket in May this year, bringing down the curtain on a remarkable journey in whites. He will continue to captain India in ODIs. "It is a personal decision and he would have known why he [Rohit Sharma] wanted to do it. As an individual who has accomplished so much in cricket, he has it within himself to understand and know what he wants going forward. Again, pride of performance is always going to be there." Pollard told ANI. "He's still going to represent India in the 50-over format of cricket. I don't see him changing the hunger and desire not to score runs. He wants to come out and perform and do well," Pollard added. Pollard also expressed his joy in reuniting with former teammates and friends in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025. He highlighted the excitement of being competitive again and looks forward to these opportunities. "It feels great, again, reconnecting with your old teammates, old friends, persons that you don't see on a daily basis, you get an opportunity to be competitive again, it's just fantastic and we look forward to it," Pollard told ANI. West Indies Champions Team owner Ajay Sethi praised his team's players, highlighting their success in the IPL and T20 formats. He mentioned their wins against England and expressed confidence in their upcoming match against Pakistan. "They have been greatest player of IPL and T20 format, their records and their performance speaks for itself, this is my best team on the paper and they're performing, they won the England game and then we had the game against Australia, we have a big game tomorrow with Pakistan, I'm very confident that we will definitely go to perform and win the game," Sethi told ANI. West Indies Champions will take on Pakistan Champions in the 11th Match of WCL 2025 at Leeds on Saturday.
NDTV
10 hours ago
- NDTV
Shubman Gill Will Become A "Very, Very Good Captain" Predicts Ex-England Star. Reason Is...
Former England spinner Moeen Ali believes that young Shubman Gill will turn himself into a "very good captain" and has already put in the signs on exhibition by leading from the front with his bat in India's riveting tour of England. On the field, Gill's vocal presence has been felt; often, a couple of his sentences come in the range of the stump mic. With the leadership traits that have emerged from Gill in the limited game time, Moeen sees a bright future for the 25-year-old. "Shubman is gonna be, he's gonna turn himself into a very, very good captain because he's already led from the front with the bat in particular, and it's very important for an Indian captain to do that," Moeen told ANI. From Leeds to Birmingham, Shubman was a constant tormentor of England's bowling unit, bereft of experience. India's youngest Test captain left Edgbaston after the second Test with three centuries, turning one of them into his career-best 269, and 458 runs from two fixtures. In the third Test, temperament frayed, fingers were pointed, emotions ran thin as the element of spice entered the picture. India and England players engaged in a verbal spat, with Gill at the centre of all the commotion. Moeen feels that the spectacle on display, which lingered in the ongoing fourth Test in Manchester, was missing from the format for a long time. "I think it's a great series to watch. It's very entertaining, very hostile at the same time, and both teams have been amazingly good at respecting each other, but still playing very hard on the field, and I think that's been missing in Test cricket for a long time," he said. "It's great to see two fantastic teams doing that to one very young side in a young captain and still young players coming through, and one bit more still young but a bit more experienced, and two very, very talented teams," he added. India have adopted the policy of lining up with two spin-bowling all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. The inclusion offers depth to the batting attack while offering a wide range of offensive manoeuvres. Moeen hailed "brilliant" Jadeja and expects Washington to come good in time while trying to fill the chasm left by Ravichandran Ashwin. "Yeah, I mean they're both fantastic spinners I think Jadeja has been doing it for a long time He's a brilliant all-rounder one of the best in the world and I think Washi has big boots to fill in Ashwin, but he will become good the more he plays And his batting is obviously very good as I saw I think it's great for them great for India going forward So yeah, they got a big role to play," he said. Moeen is representing the England Champions in the World Championship of Legends. He shared his experience of reliving the rivalry and said, "It's not so much about settle good scores. I think it's more about playing against the guys you played against, and I think it's getting stronger from last year. Somebody said so, hopefully we can come back really strong next year."
India.com
11 hours ago
- India.com
Moeen Ali Praises Shubman Gill's Leadership, Calls Him A Future Star Captain
Former England cricketer Moeen Ali has lauded young Indian batter Shubman Gill, calling him a future leader who has already started showing maturity beyond his years during India's thrilling Test tour of England. Gill, just 25, has impressed Moeen with both his batting and his vocal presence on the field. His leadership qualities have come to the fore in a high-pressure series, where he hasn't just captained the side, but also led from the front with the bat. 'Shubman is shaping up to be a very fine captain. The way he's leading with the bat is crucial, especially when you're captaining India. That's what stands out,' Moeen said during an interaction with ANI. Gill's Stellar Batting Display in England From Leeds to Birmingham, Gill has been a thorn in England's bowling plans. In just two Tests, he scored 458 runs, including three centuries, one of which was a career-best 269. His consistency has been one of the highlights of the tour. While leading India, Gill's animated presence has also been picked up by stump mics, revealing his assertive style. Moeen believes such personality traits, coupled with solid performances, make Gill a strong candidate for long-term captaincy. Tensions and Fire Return to Test Cricket The ongoing series hasn't been without drama. Tempers flared during the third Test, with Gill at the center of a heated exchange involving players from both teams. Moeen believes this fiery edge has re-energized the format. 'It's been brilliant to watch. There's intensity, aggression, but also mutual respect. This kind of competitive spirit has been missing in Test cricket for a while,' Moeen said. Jadeja-Washington Pair Offers India a Strategic Edge India's use of two spin-bowling all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, has also caught Moeen's attention. He called Jadeja one of the world's best, and expressed confidence that Washington will grow into the role vacated by Ravichandran Ashwin. 'Jadeja has been outstanding for years. Washington has big shoes to fill, but his potential is obvious, especially with the bat. The more he plays, the better he'll get,' said Moeen.
