India win men's and women's World Cup kabaddi titles

Ludhiana: Hosts India lifted the winners title in the men's and women's section of the second World Cup kabaddi tournament here.

The India men team easily beat the Canada side 59-25 in the final match played at the Guru Nanak Dev stadium here late Sunday. India was the winner of the inaugural edition of the World Cup Kabaddi last year also.

The winners were given a cheque of Rs.2 crore while runners-up Canada got a prize money of Rs.1 crore. The total prize money in the tournament was Rs.4.11 crore for the 14 men's and four women's participating teams.

Neighbouring Pakistan, which was the runners-up in the first edition of the Kabaddi tournament last year and was expected to reach the finals this time also, finished third in the tournament. They beat Italy 60-22 in the match to decide the third position played here Sunday.

In the women's section, hosts India won comfortably against the British women Kabaddi team. They beat their rivals 44-17.

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The prizes were given away by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

He announced that all players of the winning teams would be given government jobs.

Former Pakistan prime minister Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain specially came Sunday through the Wagah-Attari land route for the closing ceremony of the event held before a packed stadium here.

The closing ceremony of the 20-day event was a glittering affair with several performances and fireworks display.

Actors Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone took to the stage to enthrall the audience.

Akshay Kumar drove into the stadium and the stage on a superbike. He later took a round of the stadium on a convertible Mercedes with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.