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Bengaluru Bulls beat U.P. Yoddhas to confirm Season 9 playoff berth

Bengaluru Bulls put on a great show to win against U.P. Yoddhas by a scoreline of 38-35 in a high-pressure game at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad to qualify for the playoffs of vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 9 on Sunday. The Bengaluru Bulls trio of Bharat (8 points), Vikash Kandola (6 points) and Neeraj Narwal (5 points) did enough to get their team over the finish line and into the playoffs.

Both teams went into the game with the knowledge that a win would see them qualify for the playoffs, and in the early stages, there was little to separate them. Soon, though, Bharat’s influence on the game grew and U.P. Yoddhas, reduced in numbers, stared at an All-Out. Two consecutive Super Tackles by Gurdeep, the second on Bharat, delayed the outcome.

But eventually, Bengaluru Bulls inflicted the first All-Out of the game to take a slender 13-10 lead. Bengaluru Bulls kept the pressure up to increase their lead by two more points, capitalising on some errors by the Yoddhas’ defence to go into halftime holding a 19-14 lead.

Bengaluru Bulls carried the first half momentum into the early part of the second period, and soon enough inflicted a second All-Out on U.P. Yoddhas to surge into a 10-point lead. With Bharat and Neeraj Narwal prolific on the raid, and Saurabh Nandal keeping the defence tight, it looked like they had locked up a victory.  

However, with five minutes to go, the Bengaluru Bulls defence suddenly started leaking points and they were soon staring at an All-Out, with U.P. Yoddhas eyeing a comeback. A Super Tackle by Mahender Singh on Pardeep Narwal stemmed the flow and kept U.P. Yoddhas at bay. That was enough as Bengaluru Bulls held on despite a late All-Out by UP Yoddhas, to clinch a deserving victory. 

Top Performers

Bengaluru Bulls

Best Raider – Bharat (8 Raid Points)

Best Defender – Aman (5 Tackle Points)

U.P. Yoddhas

Best Raider – Pardeep Narwal (10 Raid Points)

Best Defender – Gurdeep (5 Tackle Points)

Gujarat Giants stage spirited comeback to overcome U Mumba

U Mumba held a massive lead in the first half, but Gujarat Giants forged an emphatic comeback to defeat them 38-36 in vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 9 at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday. Parteek Dahiya emerged as the best player for Gujarat Giants with 13 points in the match.

Pranay Rane picked up a few touch points as U Mumba took the lead at 6-3 in the 5th minute. Moments later, Mohit tackled Sandeep and helped his team inflict an All-Out to take a big lead at 10-4. Heidarali Ekrami pulled off a Super Raid soon after, catching out Shankar Gadai, Sourav Gulia and Arkam Shaikh as U Mumba took complete control of the match at 15-4 in the 8th minute. The Giants’ Rinku Narwal and Sandeep effected tackles, but U Mumba still held the lead at 15-8 in the 12th minute.

Ekrami continued to shine as U Mumba forged ahead. However, Rakesh effected a raid and the Giants tackled Guman Singh to stay in the game at 13-18. But, Rahul Sethpal pulled off a Super Tackle in the 20th minute as U Mumba led at 20-13 by the end of the first half.  

Parteek Dahiya effected a fantastic raid in the opening minutes of the second half and reduced U Mumba to just two players on the mat. Moments later, the Giants tackled Kamlesh and inflicted an All-Out to come back into the match at 19-22. 

However, Rane pulled off a multi-point raid and ensured that U Mumba stayed in the lead at 24-20. But Parteek Dahiya effected a few raids as the Giants reached within touching distance of U Mumba’s score at 25-26 in the 28th minute. Sourav Gulia tackled Rane soon after and helped the Giants level the score at 26-26.

Thereafter, Ashish caught out Sourav Gulia and Arkam Shaikh as U Mumba inched ahead at 29-27 in the 31st minute. However, Gujarat Giants’ Manuj tackled Rane and Shankar Gadai effected a couple of raids as they again levelled the score at 30-30. 

Both sides then traded raid for raid and were locked at 32-32 in the 37th minute. However, Dahiya pulled off a magnificent raid in the 39th minute and helped his team inflict an All-Out and take the lead at 37-34. The Giants played their cards perfectly in the dying seconds of the match and clinched a thrilling win in the end.

Top Performers

U Mumba

Best Raider – Pranay Rane (10 Raid Points)

Best Defender – Mohit (3 Tackle Points)

Gujarat Giants

Best Raider – Parteek Dahiya (13 Raid Points)

Best Defender – Rinku Narwal (4 Tackle Points)