PKL: Yoddhas clinch thriller, Titans complete double over U Mumba

The UP Yoddhas showcased nerves of steel to edge past the Jaipur Pink Panthers in a nail-biting 33-29 finish in the Pro Kabaddi League on Thursday night.

In another fixture, the Telugu Titans delivered a dominant performance to defeat U Mumba 41-35, completing a season double over their opponents.

The Yoddhas hold their nerve

In a highly tactical encounter, the UP Yoddhas overcame the Jaipur Pink Panthers in a thrilling contest that swung back and forth until the minute.

Bhavani Rajput starred for the Yoddhas scoring 8 points supported by Gagan Gowda’s 6 points and Sumit’s defensive brilliance earning pluadits.

Both teams began cautiously, exchanging early points through Arjun Deshwal and Ankush Rathee for Jaipur, while Bhavani Rajput’s multi point raids gave the Yoddhas crucial momentum.

The turning point came mid way through the first half when the Yoddhas inflicted an 'all out' on Jaipur surging to a six point lead.

However, Jaipur responded just before halftime with an 'all out' of their own, leveling the score and taking a narrow 20-19 lead into the break.

The second half was an evenly contested affair, with both sides trading points.

Gagan Gowda and Sumit kept UP Yoddhas marginally ahead while Jaipur’s Arjun Deshwal struggled to make a significant impact.

With three minutes remaining, the Yoddhas held a slender three-point advantage. Despite a late push from Jaipur, including a decisive tackle in a Do-or-Die raid, the Yoddhas maintained composure to secure a 33-29 victory.

Clinical Titans dominate U Mumba

In the second match of the night, Telugu Titans showcased their attacking prowess and defensive grit to overwhelm U Mumba 41-35.

Vijay Malik was the standout performer, completing a Super 10 and crossing the milestone of 100 raid points for the season.

Sagar added a High 5, while Ashish Narwal chipped in with 9 raid points.

The Titans started strong applying pressure from the outset and forcing errors from U Mumba. An early 'all out' saw Telugu Titans open up a 10 point lead.

U Mumba’s defensive lapses and ineffective raiding allowed the Titans to extend their advantage further, inflicting another 'all out' to end the first half with a commanding 25-13 lead.

U Mumba mounted a comeback in the second half, led by Rohit Raghav’s two-point raid and an 'all out' that cut the deficit to six points.

However, Telugu Titans quickly regained control through key raids from Ashish Narwal and defensive solidity from Sagar, who executed a crucial Super Tackle.

As the match neared its conclusion, Vijay Malik and Sagar ensured there was no slip-up, securing a third 'all out' and sealing the win for Telugu Titans.

The victory marked their ninth win of the season, equaling their best league-stage performance since Season 2.

The Telugu Titans are second on the points table with 48-points while U Mumba, with 46-points, are third.

Haryana Steelers currently lead the table with 56-points.