(MOREPIC1) FACE2NEWS/BENGALURU
UP Yoddhas and Jaipur Pink Panthers played out a roller coaster of a contest in the third match of the Vivo Pro Kabaddi League Season 9 at the Shree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday. Both sides kept winning points in tandem throughout the match, but the Yoddhas held their nerve and defeated Jaipur 34-32.
Raiders Rohit Tomar and Surender Gill chipped in with points as UP Yoddhas took in the lead at 6-4. However, Arjun Deshwal pulled off a couple of brilliant raids and helped Jaipur Pink Panthers gain the lead at 8-6 in the 12th minute. Soon after, Jaipur inflicted an ALL OUT and took a massive lead at 12-7. Surender Gill chipped in with a couple of raids, but the Pink Panthers led at 15-12 at the end of the first half.
The UP Yoddhas levelled the scores at 15-15 through a stupendous raid by Surender Gill and a great tackle by Sumit at the beginning of the second half. Moments later, Nitesh Kumar tackled Devank to help the Yoddhas inflict an all out and take the lead at 18-16. Star raider Pardeep Narwal also stepped up his game as the Yoddhas further extended their lead at 21-16 in the 27th minute. V Ajith Kumar single-handedly got the Pink Panthers back in the match with a super raid, but soon after, Narwal's heroics propelled the UP team to a five-point lead at 25-20.
Bhavani Rajput effected a super raid in the 32nd minute and kept the Panthers in the game. However, the Yoddhas managed to hold on to their lead at 28-24 in the 36th minute even though they had only two players on the mat. But, moments later, the Jaipur Pink Panthers inflicted an all out to catch up with the Yoddhas.
The Panthers and the Yoddhas fought toe-to-toe in the last couple of minutes of the match, but raiders Surender Gill and Pardeep Narwal helped the UP side emerge victorious in the end.
7:30 PM: Patna Pirates vs Puneri Paltan
8:30 PM: Gujarat Giants vs Tamil Thalaivas
9:30 PM: Bengal Warriors vs Haryana Steelers
Venue: Shree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium, Bengaluru
