Pune, Dec 19 Gagan Gowda played the starring role as the UP Yoddhas delivered a dominant performance against the Gujarat Giants, registering a massive 59-23 victory in a Season 11 clash of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) at the Badminton Hall of the Balewadi Sports Complex here on Thursday.
Gagan Gowda scored a game-high 19 points, while Bhavani Rajput registered a Super 10 and Sumit secured a High-5 to wrap up a commanding performance for the UP Yoddhas and they extended their unbeaten run to eight games. The game started with fast exchanges as Guman Singh and Gowda got their respective sides on the board. It didn’t take too long for Rakesh to register the first Super Raid of the game, and it was instantly matched by Gagan Gowda as he bagged a Super Raid of his own.
UP Yoddhas began asserting themselves in the game as Bhavani Rajput grew into the match. A tackle from Sumit tackle helped them inflict the first All-Out, taking a five-point lead with the score at 12-7. Gowda then stole the show, completing his Super 10 in the first half itself, as UP Yoddhas clicked into a different gear to create some real separation between the two sides.
Contributions from Mahender Singh, Bharat, Hitesh, and Sumit restricted Gujarat Giants to only four points in the last 10 minutes of the half, enabling UP Yoddhas to close out a dominant first half with the score at 29-11.
It was a defensive clinic from the UP Yoddhas with Ashu Malik setting the tone with the first successful tackle of the second half. Bhavani Rajput secured a successful Do-Or-Die Raid, followed by a tackle from Sumit to inflict another All Out on the Gujarat Giants.
A Super Tackle from Jitender Yadav gave the Gujarat Giants something to cheer about in the second half, but the UP Yoddhas remained ruthless. They gave their opponents no breathing room as they registered a third All Out, pilling on the misery with the score at 47-16. They breached the 50-point mark with under seven minutes to go in the game, and Bhavani Rajput recorded a Super 10.
Guman Singh showed some character for the Gujarat Giants alongside Jitender Yadav, who completed his High-5. However, it was the UP Yoddhas who came out on top rather comfortably in the end, winning by a scoreline of 59-23, giving their hopes for a top-two spot a significant boost.
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