PKL: Jaipur Pink Panthers edge Tamil Thalaivas, UP Yoddhas defeat U Mumba

The Jaipur Pink Panthers secured a crucial 34-27 victory over Tamil Thalaivas, keeping their playoff hopes alive while eliminating the Thalaivas. The match saw some strong performances from Arjun Deshwal, Neeraj Narwal, Abhijeet Malik, and Ankush Rathee.

The Pink Panthers started strong, with Arjun Deshwal leading the way. He was well-supported by raiders Neeraj Narwal and Abhijeet Malik. Deshwal scored the first point with a running hand touch on Amir Hossein Bastami, while Malik added a Do-Or-Die raid against Aashish.

The Tamil Thalaivas, despite a Super Tackle that sent Deshwal to the bench, couldn't maintain their early momentum. Jaipur's defense, led by Ankush Rathee, took control, with a key ALL OUT on the Thalaivas. By halftime, the Pink Panthers led 20-13.

In the second half, Jaipur continued to dominate, neutralizing the Thalaivas' attacks. Ankush Rathee’s High 5 played a pivotal role as he helped dismantle the Thalaivas' raiders, while Deshwal, though under pressure, kept the team focused.

The Thalaivas fought back through Abhishek and Chandran Ranjith, but Jaipur managed the Do-Or-Die raids efficiently, maintaining their lead. The Pink Panthers clinched a seven-point victory, securing a vital win in their playoff race.

UP Yoddhas beat U Mumba

UP Yoddhas won the toss and opted for the left court. They started strong with Bhavani Rajput successfully dragging Lokesh Ghosliya to the midline in a DOD raid. Despite Mumba's resistance, led by Ajit Chouhan and Gagan Gowda, UP Yoddhas maintained control with key tackles and raids.

Mumba, led by their raiders like Ajit Chouhan and Gagan Gowda, kept the pressure on, but were unable to break through UP’s defence. Gagan Gowda was eventually stopped by Rinku, and Ajit Chouhan’s raid was cut short by Hitesh, maintaining the parity in the game.

UP Yoddhas' defence stood strong, with crucial tackles and successful raids by Manjeet and Bhavani Rajput. They inflicted an ALL-OUT on Mumba after a series of defensive moves by Keshav Kumar and Rinku.

In a critical moment, Rohit Raghav delivered a two-point raid, sending Ashu Singh and Mahender Singh to the bench. However, Mumba didn’t give up, with a DOD raid from Bharat being caught by Parvesh Bhainswal, and a quick running hand touch by Rohit Raghav on the big man, Rohit Raghav, narrowing the gap.

The turning point came when confusion on the field led to an ALL-OUT being inflicted on Mumba. Bhavani Rajput’s touch on Sunil Kumar gave UP Yoddhas a crucial advantage, pushing them to a three-point lead.

With the match closing in on its final moments, Mumba tried to close the gap but was halted by UP’s defensive lineup. Despite a valiant effort from Gagan Gowda, who was caught by Rinku with a thigh hold, the match ended with UP Yoddhas sealing a narrow win at 30-27.