WFI President Sanjay Singh urged a complete boycott of Pakistan following its T20 WC snub. He also hailed the PWL 2026, where Haryana Thunders defeated Delhi Dangal Warriors in a thrilling final to clinch the title.
WFI President Calls for Complete Boycott of Pakistan
Expressing strong criticism of Pakistan's announcement to boycott the league match against India in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Sanjay Singh said that the Indian Government, along with players, should also boycott the neighbouring country. This came after Pakistan decided to boycott its group-stage match against India in the ICC World T20 World Cup, scheduled for February 15. The Pakistan government said in a post on X that the Pakistan team "shall not take the field" in the match against India. Speaking to ANI, the WFI president said, "The Indian government and our players should also totally boycott Pakistan. There should be a complete boycott."
Sanjay Singh Hails Pro Wrestling League 2026
Sanjay Singh also hailed the organisation of the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) 2026, which concluded on Sunday. Speaking about the PWL, the WFI president said the league is progressing as planned, noting that additional preparation time would have helped. He highlighted that motivated wrestlers are producing unexpected results, which he believes will benefit India in international competitions. "Everything is going as planned. If we had a little more time, it would have been better. The league is going on well... There are unexpected results because our wrestlers are highly motivated. This will benefit us in international tournaments," Sanjay Singh said.
Haryana Thunders Crowned PWL 2026 Champions
Coming to the PWL final between Haryana Thunders and Delhi Dangal Warriors on Sunday, Haryana Thunders were crowned champions of the Pro Wrestling League 2026 after a gripping, back-and-forth final that went down to the very last bout against Delhi Dangal Warriors at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Sunday night, according to a release. With the scores locked at 4-4 after eight bouts, it all came down to the final women's 62kg clash, where Paris Olympic silver medallist Iryna Koliadenko delivered a masterclass under pressure. Her emphatic technical superiority sealed a dramatic 5-4 victory and the PWL 2026 title for Haryana Thunders, capping off one of the most intense finals in league history.
Prize Money and Individual Awards
Haryana Thunders will take home Rs 1.5 crore prize money along with the PWL 2026 trophy, while the runner-up Delhi Dangal Warriors will receive Rs 75 lakh. Among the individual awards, Turan Bayramov of Delhi Dangal Warriors received the Player of the Tournament award worth Rs 2.5 lakh for his 7 out of 7 bout wins in the 57 kg men's category, accumulating a total of 59 points in PWL 2026, while Chandermohan from Punjab Royals was the highest point scorer of the tournament. Neha Sangwan (Haryana Thunders) won the Player of the Match for keeping the final alive till the last bout, while Ronak (Delhi Dangal Warriors) won Fighter of the Match for his impressive performance in the men's 125 kg category. Impact player of the match was claimed by Akshay Dhere (Haryana Thunders) for her strong performance in the 57 kg men's category.
Thrilling Final Goes Down to the Wire
The championship night opened with Delhi drawing first blood through undefeated Turan Bayramov in the 74kg men's bout, as he raced to an early lead and controlled proceedings for an 8-1 win. Haryana responded immediately in the 76 kg women's category, where U20 World Champion Kajal Dhochack edged past European Champion Anastasiya Alpyeeva 3-1 to level the tie.
Momentum shifted again in the 65 kg men's bout when Delhi captain Sujeet Kalkal produced a stunning late surge to defeat World Championships silver medallist Tumur Ochir Tulga 8-6. Haryana answered through their talisman and multiple-time world champion Yui Susaki, who showcased her pedigree with a dominant technical superiority win over Saarika to make it 2-2.
Delhi regained the lead in the 86kg men's bout as Asian Championship bronze medallist Vafaeipour Hadi Bakhtiar overpowered Ashirov Ashraf 11-0, before Haryana struck back strongly through Akshay Dhere, who overwhelmed Delhi's Amit Kumar by technical superiority in the 57kg men's contest.
The heavyweight clash then proved pivotal, with Ronak producing a commanding performance to defeat Anirudh Gulia 12-2, putting Delhi 4-3 ahead.
Haryana refused to relent, and Neha Sangwan kept the final alive by pinning Anjali in the 57 kg women's bout to level the scores once more at 4-4.
With the championship hanging in the balance, Iryna Koliadenko rose to the occasion in the decisive 62 kg women's bout. Using her experience and composure, the Paris Olympic silver medallist took down Anjli through relentless turn-and-exposure sequences, closing out a 16-0 technical superiority victory to clinch the title for Haryana Thunders and spark celebrations from the Haryana camp.
Haryana Thunders' title triumph brought the curtain down on a memorable PWL 2026 season, defined by drama, depth, and a final that lived up to its billing in every sense. (ANI)
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