U.P. Yoddha got a significant 31-24 triumph against league leaders Jaipur Pink Panthers in the second match of Pro Kabaddi League at a packed Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium here on Monday.
Yoddha's success, on match number 50 of Season 7, stopped Panthers' triumphant run and demonstrated that the league is a long way from being done for even the base set groups. Shrikant Jadhav (7 points) and shock incorporation in the group, Surender Gill (8 points), were the stars for Yoddha as they moved to eighth in the league standings.
The match began with a shockingly poor resistance by the two sides, with no successful tackles till the eleventh minute, regardless of having the league's best tacklers in Sandeep Dhull and Sumit on the mat.
Be that as it may, the game changed after the first tackle, with the two groups, particularly the Panthers delivering great Super Tackles to remain neck-to-neck. Shrikant Jadhav's improved form diminished the Jaipur men and the U.P. group verified their first All-Out with two minutes remaining – a two-point strike by Surender Gill taking out both Amit Hooda and Sandeep Dhull.
Yoddha ended the half with a six-point lead (17-11). The key to Jaipur Pink Panthers' successful start to the season had been the time spent by Deepak Niwas Hooda on the mat. U.P. Yoddha had identified this as an important area to target in the first half, with the captain spending a lot of time in the dugout.
The second half began brilliantly for the all-rounder, however, getting a three-point Super Raid to begin the procedures. Be that as it may, he got damage all the while, something U.P. Yoddha, vigorously marshaled by captain Rishank Devadiga, proceeded to underwrite.
Devadiga, Shrikant Yadav and Surender Gill combined as a raiding unit for the team as they opened a 9-point lead with nine minutes remaining. Deepak Hooda battled what looked like a troubled knee to keep his Jaipur side in the contest but the Yoddha defence held firm to register their third victory of the season.
