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26th October.
Friday was a day of firsts. Not just for me, a kabaddi enthusiast, but for the teams playing and also the tournament as a whole.
I got to attend my first Pro Kabaddi match at the Patliputra Stadium in Patna, the home of 3-time champions Patna Pirates. Gujarat Fortune Giants’ Sachin Tanwar notched up his first Super 10 of the campaign. This was Gujarat’s first Inter Zone match this season and they were drawn against another newly-formed team – Tamil Thalaivas.
The firsts didn’t end there and most crucially, it was also the first time Sukesh Hegde went up against his former team. Hegde had earlier led the Fortune Giants to a place in the final in the team’s debut season and hence, it was always going to be an emotional match.
And I was eager to revel in the electric atmosphere that was sure to be generated at the stadium. I spent the last week painting banners and gearing up for the match. My hunt for a tee to show my support for Gujarat ended at Souled Store while an old bed sheet sacrificed itself as I painted ‘Garjega Gujarat’ over it.
Now that I had the arsenal for the match, all I had to do was book my tickets and while away my time eagerly approaching 26th October. The wait did not disappoint as what I witnessed at the Patliputra not only matched my expectations, but largely exceeded it.
The crowd was already geared up as I made my way into the stadium. Surely, it wasn’t for me but for the small matter of the home team returning victorious by defeating Jaipur Pink Panthers with ease.
As I struggled my way amidst the swarm of people who had descended into the stadium, I could feel the energy being generated by the fans. Songs were being sung while flags were flown as the second match was about to get underway. I sensed this as an opportune moment and draped myself in the flag I had created to show my loyalties.
The match was a closely-fought encounter as both teams matched each other toe-to-toe in the opening exchanges. The two teams exchanged points in the first 15 minutes and the scores were tied at 11 each.
The loudest gasp at the stadium could be heard when Ajay Thakur went in for the next raid. It looked like he had snatched the game by the scruff of the neck by completing a 5-point raid. He was wrapped with Gujarat Fortune Giants defenders the same way I was with my bed sheet-turned-flag, but Thakur’s hand crossed the midway line. Or so it seemed…
A closer look vindicated the referee’s call of adjudging him out as his finger touched the line but failed to cross it! He was only millimeters away from wrestling control of the match. However, much to my delight, not only did Ajay Thakur get out, but this seemed to spur new life into the Fortune Giants. They managed to end the half with a 2-point lead (16-14).
The second half saw last year’s finalists follow their motto – Garjega Gujarat (Gujarat will strike like lightning). And strike they did! The team managed to put the result beyond doubt within the first 6 minutes of the second half. They went on an 11-2 run to extend their lead to 28-16 as the vociferous crowd in Patna, figuratively, took the roof off the stadium.
The final 15 minutes of the half saw them restrict Tamil Thalaivas to just 1-point raids while also matching them point-for-point. The final scorecard read 36-25 in favour of the team in Red, confirming Gujarat Fortune Giants’ second win of the tournament.
As the hooter sounded, the fans stood up and applauded both the teams off the mat for putting up a stunning spectacle. Despite the scoreline looking skewed in favour of the team I was supporting, I can’t help but feel for Tamil Thalaivas.
There are moments that teams need to seize to come up on top and for me, it was that tackle on Ajay Thakur in the 15th minute that turned the tide in Gujarat’s favour. They say kabaddi is a sport of fine margins, and the image of the Thalaivas’ captain’s wriggling hand agonisingly missing out on crossing the halfway line being flashed across the giant screens at the stadiums, exemplified that perfectly.
As I exited the stadium and entered the cab to make my way to the hotel, I knew I had to return to the Patliputra stadium for the last day of the leg. The sweat continued dripping off my shirt and the lack of laundry options at the hotel made me realise I couldn’t use this tee again for the match against Puneri Paltan. So, I did what every Gujarat Fortune Giants fan should do this season – I flicked open my phone and logged in to Souled Store to place an order for yet another official tee from their amazing collection!
Watch this space as I’ll be back again! Until next time, Garjega Gujarat!
