Hyderabad, October 22, 2024: In a display of tactical brilliance at Hyderabad's GMCB Indoor Stadium, UP Yoddhas secured a commanding 28-23 victory over Dabang Delhi K.C., with Bhavani Rajput (7 points) leading the charge, supported by strong performances from skipper Surender Gill and Sahul Kumar who delivered a crucial ALL OUT in the final minutes. Post the match, the captain credited the win to their well-executed defensive strategy.

"Our initial strategy was focused on our defenders. We knew that the longer both corner defenders stayed on the court, the more it would benefit our raiders. Then when Bhavani bhai started performing well, we decided to stick with that approach. We were selective about sending our raiders while they were waiting for super tackle opportunities. The plan was that we would secure two points, support each other, and our raiders would bring in the remaining points. That worked in our favour,” shared Surender.

Assistant Coach Upendra Kumar was particularly impressed with how the revamped squad performed in their season opener against Dabang Delhi K.C. “Our first game of the season was against Dabang Delhi K.C. and it was imperative that we establish ourselves. I'm pleased to say that they exceeded our expectations, working seamlessly with even the substitutes making significant contributions," he said about their performance.

Looking ahead to their clash with Bengaluru Bulls on Tuesday, Captain Gill maintained a confident yet cautious stance. "Bengaluru Bulls is a very good side and it will surely be a tough match. This is not our concern because we haven't revealed our complete lineup yet. We can field a very strong team. We'll make our final decision at the last moment," he stated, suggesting that UP Yoddhas might have some surprises in store for their opponents.