U.P. Yoddhas, the franchisee owned by GMR Group, opened their home leg campaign on a winning note, defeating Bengaluru Bulls 34-33 at the Noida Indoor Stadium, Noida.

Captain Pardeep Narwal, who won the Dream11 Game Changer of the Match award, led from the front, blooming in the latter half of the game, garnering the highest points (10) and a Super 10 for U.P. Yoddhas. Pardeep was ably supported by Surender Gill who won the green sleeve for becoming the leading raider of the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 with 62 points.

Surender’s (7 points) initial surge in the game ensured that the Yoddhas never went out of the fight even after trailing in the initial few minutes of the game. For U.P. Yoddhas, Sumit, who also won the Easemytrip Moment of the Match award, stood tall, earning five important tackle points with support from Gurdeep (three points), Ashu and Nitesh, both earning two points each. With this win, U.P. Yoddhas are now placed eighth in the league standings with twenty points to their kitty.

U.P. Yoddhas will now face Delhi Dabang KC in their next match on December 30, 2023. The match between U.P. Yoddhas and Dabang Delhi KC will be telecast LIVE on Star Sports Network and can be streamed LIVE on Disney Hotstar from 09:00 p.m. (IST) onwards.

“Our defense today ensured that we maintain our raiding momentum throughout the game. Today we played as a team which included Surender’s impressive start along with a confident performance by a defense, this helped me play freely and earn points in quick succession in both the halves the chances that I got. I am thankful to all of our fans who turned up to support us and I am glad that we could give them a win to start our home campaign,” said Captain Pardeep Narwal after the win.

The game began with Bengaluru Bulls winning the toss and inviting U.P. Yoddhas to raid first. Though the Bulls drew first blood, followed by two quick points in succession, it was Surender Gills' multipoint raid that got U.P. Yoddhas at level par in the game. The game thereafter was mostly a neck-to-neck battle with the Yoddhas trying hard to gain the lead.

While Surender Gill was the only raider working for the Yoddhas along with the defense who had an equal point share in the score line that stood at 11-11 with four minutes to go in the first half. It was at this moment Dubki King and Pardeep Narwal struck hard for the first time in quick succession earning four points in the final three minutes to help U.P. Yoddhas race ahead with the score line reading 15-13 at the end of the first half.

U.P. Yoddhas began the second half with a bang, inflicting the first All-Out of the game on Bengaluru Bulls in the opening moments to take an 18-13 lead. The Bulls fought back hard thereafter, but U.P. Yoddhas ensured that they did not concede their lead in the game anymore.

The second half was a showcase of why Pardeep Narwal is considered the best raider of the Pro Kabaddi league. Pardeep’s attacking mode coupled with a solid defensive line ensured that the Yoddhas inflicted a second all-out on Bengaluru Bulls with five minutes to go with the score card reading 33-24.

The Bulls fought back very hard thereafter and earned some quick points but could not get past U.P. Yoddhas. The second half ended with U.P. Yoddhas defeating Bengaluru Bulls 34-33.