Pro Kabaddi 2019, UP Yoddha v Tamil Thalaivas: 5 talking points from the match

#1 Ajay salvages draw with the last raid

Match 29: U.P. Yoddha vs Tamil Thalaivas

In the crucial last few minutes, it looked initially as if the Yoddha have the upper hand as they picked up three points on the trot to take a 26-23 lead with six minutes left on the clock. Monu Goyat and Rishank Devadiga picked up a point each and Shrikant Jadhav combined excellently with his teammates to pull off a crucial tackle.

However, the Thalaivas came roaring back once again as they equalized two minutes to go. Shabeer Bapu picked up another raid point while Ran Singh showed great strength to stop Rishank from escaping. Rahul Chaudhari was successful in his next attempt, snapping up Monu Goyat and taking the score to 26-26.

With a minute to go, it was 27-27 and UP were in a do-or-die situation with Rishank Devadiga coming to raid. Shabeer lost his patience and gave a point with a mistimed tackle, evoking major celebrations in the UP camp.

However, the match was not over yet. In the last raid of the match, Ajay Thakur delivered when it mattered the most, claiming a running hand touch on the right corner and ensuring that the points are split - for the third time - between the two teams.

About the author

Shraishth Jain is a former sports journalist & content specialist, with over eight years of experience of working in the industry. A graduate of commerce, he earned his post-graduate diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) in Delhi.

His journey in the field of sports journalism began as a freelancer with Sportskeeda in 2015, covering events from a wide range of sports across north India. He joined the organization full-time two years later and then worked at Times Now. Subsequently, he worked as a Media Officer at the All India Football Federation (AIFF) from 2019-2022, working in media operations, handling social media & PR for the federation and its various verticals, along with travelling with various national teams. He moved to RoundGlass Punjab FC for a season, before making the switch to working on his retail business.

He has been watching sports religiously for as long as he can remember. He is a die-hard Manchester United fan and spends almost all of his free time watching one sport or the other, and keeping tabs on the happenings in the world of sport around the globe.

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Edited by Prasen Moudgal