Title favourites India overpowered minnows West Indies 60-42 in their second league match from Pool-A in the first Kabaddi World Cup in Mumbai on Saturday.
The hosts, who had comfortably beaten Thailand 50-29 in their first match on Friday, looked much faster and fitter than their opponents and literally toyed with them before recording the comprehensive win.
Vikas was the hero of the home team's win today. He excelled both in defence and attack and was always a threat to his rivals. He notched up seven useful points after India took a 15-5 lead in the early part of the match.
With Navneet Chauhan and Shailesh Sawant also chipping in with five points each the hosts took a comfortable 28-12 lead and were sitting pretty at 36-23 at the break.
Though West Indies skipper Ali Riaz (seven points) and Howard Guy Stanton (six points) played well in the second session and their players defended well, they failed to catch up with the home team.
West Indies vice-captain Vijay Jhappan and Lutawan Sewnarine also put up a good show along with Persaud Jagnatine but the Indians proved a tough bunch to beat with their skipper Sanjiva Kumar and his Railways teammate Rakesh Kumar and Karnataka's Tyagraj defending well.
Vijay Jhappan was declared the man-of-the-match and received Rs 6000.
In other matches, Canada crushed Thailand 54-30 after leading 26-18 at half-time in a Pool-A match.
The Canadian team, comprising mostly of players of Indian origin, came up with a fine display to notch up their second win. They had beaten the West Indies in their first match 93-9 on Friday.
Canada's Harmeek Singh Kooner was the man-of-the-match.
Jatinder Singh Sangha (seven points) and Jagdip Singh Brar (five) were the chief architects of their team's win with Jarnail Singh Jhand and Satwinder Singh Litt defending well.
In Pool-C, Bangladesh sidelined Nepal 56-23 after leading 35-10 at the lemon break, while Iran drubbed Germany 96-19 after leading 59-13 at the breather. This is Iran's second win of the tournament after beating Nepal 65-24 on Friday.
Bangladesh skipper Zahidul Islam and Iran's Saeed Mukhdam were declared the man-of-the-match for their respective ties.
Bangladesh proved their prowess with their second win after they had subdued Germany 107-35 in their first match.
Results: Pool-A: India bt West Indies 60-42 (HT 36-23), Canada bt Thailand 54-30 (HT 26-18); Pool-C: Bangladesh bt Nepal 56-23(HT 35-10), Iran bt Germany 96-19 (HT 59-13), Bangladesh bt Germany 107-35 (HT 67-17), Iran bt Nepal 65-24 (28-12), Malaysia 66-14 (HT 25-7).
