U.P. Yoddhas, the team owned by the GMR Group, made a strong comeback tonight with a commanding 39-23 victory over U Mumba in the 102nd Match of Pro Kabaddi 2023-24.
Breaking their losing streak, the Yoddhas secured a whopping sixteen-point win, marking their fourth victory of the season. U.P. Yoddhas displayed their mettle and a warrior spirit as the defenders and collaborated seamlessly to seal the victory for their team.
Sumit not only excelled by scoring seven points, the highest in the game, but also earned another High 5 for the season. Youngsters Gagan Gowda, Mahipal, and Anil Kumar also significantly contributed to their team's success, scoring six, five, and five points, respectively. With four victories and 28 points, U.P. Yoddhas are currently placed eleventh in the points table.
U.P. Yoddhas will face Tamil Thalaivas in Delhi on February 6, 2024. The match between U.P. Yoddhas and Tamil Thalaivas will be telecast LIVE on Star Sports Network and can be streamed LIVE on Disney Hotstar from 08:00 p.m. (IST) onwards.
After winning the toss, U.P. Yoddhas let U Mumba raid first, successfully pinning down their opponent raider in the first raid, thus opening the scorecard. Subsequently, Pardeep Narwal was also pinned down, and U Mumba managed to level the scores in the initial minutes of the game. However, the game became a neck-and-neck affair, with the scorecard showing 8-7 favouring the Yoddhas by the 13th minute. By that time, Yoddha Sumit, guarding the left corner for his team, had scored three crucial and highest points. Three minutes before the halfway mark, U.P. Yoddhas took charge, inflicting the first All-out of the night and pulling ahead with the score at 15-11. Capitalizing on this momentum, the Yoddhas continued to dominate, earning nine points within five minutes while allowing their opponent to score just two.
In the first half's final minutes, U.P. Yoddhas displayed dominance as Sumit, Mahipal, and Gagan Gowda each scored four points. The first half concluded with U.P. Yoddhas in control, leading 18-11.
U.P. Yoddhas continued to showcase their brilliance and dominance, with young raider Anil Kumar not only scoring quick raid points but also ensuring that his team maintained a healthy lead since the scorecard was reading 22-16, favouring Yoddhas by six minutes of the second half.
Sumit, Mahipal, and Anil were instrumental in thwarting any attempts by their opponents to stage a comeback, culminating in another All-out on U Mumba by the Yoddhas in the tenth minute of the second half. With the aid of this All-out, U.P. Yoddhas surged ahead with a crucial eleven-point lead, bringing the score to 29-18 in their favour.
The Yoddhas maintained their supremacy throughout the game, extending the lead to sixteen points and securing a commanding 39-23 victory over U Mumba.