The maiden Ultimate Kho Kho (UKK) season drew its curtains on 4th September after a thrilling finale at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Mahalunge, Pune. It was Odisha Juggernauts who came out victorious in a nail-biting finish against Telugu Yoddhas. The players sweated it out for 18 days and gave it their all. They deserved all the appreciation and support for highlighting their game in front of the masses.
A fantastic season will definitely have its fantastic set of supporters and the top players of the season were awarded in different categories after the Final. Here is a list of award winners from the inaugural season of UKK.
Player of the Tournament: RAMJI KASHYAP
Ramji looked as if he was in a different league altogether and was a cut above the rest throughout the season. There was nothing much to differentiate between his attacking and defensive skills and he proved to be the best in both departments with his all-round show.
He was the standout performer for Chennai Quick Guns and had a 20% not-out ratio in the 10 matches that he played. With an average of above 10 points in each game he scored 108 attacking points, whereas, in the defence, he averaged 2:11 minutes in a match and had a defending time of 21:48 minutes on the mat.
Young Player of the Tournament: MADAN
Madan was a vital cog in the wheel for Chennai Quick Guns and was on top of his game. He oozed confidence with each passing game as an All-Rounder. The young lad scored 46 points with an average of 4.6 points per match. He left no stone unturned as had a not-out percentage of 5% in the tournament. He was equally good in the defence and had an average of 1:16 minutes and a total stay time of 12:36 minutes on the mat.
Attacker of the Tournament: ABHINANDAN PATIL
Abhinandan is a street-smart Attacker and looked ruthless in the attack. He was seen donning the fluorescent jersey as a Wazir for Gujarat Giants and he used his special powers to good effect. He was one of the valuable players for his side. He was spectacular throughout the tournament and scored points in different forms in the attack. With an average of 8.09 points, he scored 89 points in 11 matches.
Defender of the Tournament: DEEPAK MADHAV
Deepak was simply majestic on the mat as a Defender. He knew how to go about his job and used to tire the Attackers of the opposition side. It looked as if he got the dancing shoes on and was a reliable Defender for Telugu Yoddhas. In 12 matches, he spent 20:23 minutes defending on the mat and had an average of 1:42 minutes in these matches. His not-out percentage was also an impressive 9% in the competition.