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Highlight
- Gujarat captain Sunil Kumar scored a high 5 runs.
- Raider Mahendra Rajput scored 9 points.
- Mahendra Rajput scored a point in the last minute raid to give Gujarat victory.
Gujarat Giants put up a stellar performance to register a thrilling 37-35 win over Tamil Thalaivas in a tough match of the Pro Kabaddi League here on Thursday.
Multiple tackles and an all out in the final moments ensured a scintillating night of kabaddi as coach Manpreet Singh’s men made an incredible comeback after trailing by six points.
Gujarat captain Sunil Kumar scored a high 5 while raider Mahendra Rajput picked up 9 points, including one from the last raid of the match.
Gujarat started the match on a positive note with good looks from their raiders Rakesh S and Rakesh Narwal. He helped the team take a five-point lead in the opening minutes as the Tamil defenders struggled to regain their usual momentum. But when the Giants looked all out, Tamil raider Ajinkya Pawar produced a brilliant super tackle to temporarily change the balance of the game.
The Thalaivas took the lead, but the Gujarat defense armed with their calm cover Parvesh Bhainswal and Sunil Kumar ensured that the momentum kept up with them.
Mahendra Rajput’s two-point raid dismissed Thalaivas Sagar and Surjit Singh in a single move and helped Gujarat secure an all out with less than three minutes to go at halftime. The teams switched sides with a score of 17–14 in favor of Gujarat.
The opening minutes of the second half were played with great intensity, with both teams looking clinical. Ajinkya Pawar of the Thalaivas scored nine raid points in the first 10 minutes while the raiding trio of Rakesh, Rakesh Narwal and Mahendra Rajput found fault with the Tamil defence.
The Thalaivas, led by their raider Manjeet, stayed at a great distance from the Giants. Coach Uday Kumar wanted his Tamil team all out in the last minute to give Gujarat the lead. His team did exactly what Sagar did with a brilliant tackle and a two-point raid from Manjeet.
The Thalaivas took a three-point lead with an all out and four minutes to go as Manjeet and Ajinkya Pawar secured a Super 10. The Giants came back into the match when substitute Pradeep Kumar pulled off an astonishing three-point super raid with just a minute to go.
Gujarat were all out to take a one point lead, but Mohit again leveled the score with a tackle on Mahendra Rajput. But Mahendra Rajput’s successful raid after Sunil’s brilliant tackle on Manjeet gave the Giants a crucial win.
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