Tamil Thalaivas turn on the style to usurp U.P. Yoddha

A spectacular team effort from the Tamil Thalaivas saw them beat U.P. Yoddha 39-33 and climb to fifth on the vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 8 points table. Manjeet led the Thalaivas with seven points, while U.P. Yoddha’s Surender Gill continued his spectacular start to Season 8, finishing the game with 14 points.

The game was all square at 4-4 after the first six minutes, but four unanswered points from the Thalaivas left the U.P. Yoddha with just two players on the mat. Gurdeep had seemingly earned two points for his side with a Super Tackle, but the defender accidentally stepped out of bounds before initiating the tackle, rendering him out and leaving U.P. with just a solitary man on the mat. The Thalaivas’ defence made short work of the raider to inflict the game’s first All Out and take a 12-6 lead.

After the All Out, U.P Yoddha tried to mount a comeback and outscored the Thalaivas 4-3 to leave the Thalaivas with just four men on the mat. But their attempt at a comeback was thwarted by another five-point run by Thalaivas, who went into the halftime break leading 21-10.

U.P. Yoddha started the second half brighter, courtesy of a pair of Super Tackles from their defence followed by a two-point raid from Surender Gill. U.P.’s defence and Gill continued to add to their team’s total, helping their side cut the deficit to four and leaving the Thalaivas with just a solitary man on the mat. The defence pinned down the raider to inflict an All Out to cut the Thalaivas’ lead to just two.

U.P. Yoddha were in the ascendancy, but the Thalaivas came roaring back into the contest, courtesy of some stellar work from their defence, who helped their side outscore the opponents 6-3 to push their lead up to five. Down to just two men on the mat, U.P. Yoddha subbed in raider Mohammad Taghi, who picked up the bonus before being promptly pinned down by the Thalaivas’ defence.

Manjeet claimed the touch point on U.P. Yoddha’s lone man on the mat, as the Thalaivas inflicted a second All Out to take an eight-point lead. A Super Raid from Pardeep and another two-point raid from Gill helped the U.P. Yoddha cut the deficit to under seven before the final whistle to rescue a point from the contest, but it was the Thalaivas who took home the win.

Top Performers

Tamil Thalaivas

Best Raider – Ajinkya Pawar (6 Raid Points)

Best Defender – Sagar (5 Tackle Points)

U.P. Yoddha

Best Raider – Surender Gill (13 Raid Points)

Best Defender – Shubham Kumar (4 Tackle Points)