Pro Kabaddi League 2017 Season 5: Five talking points from Day 14 of PKL 5

#5 A different, yet shrewd challenge from UP Yoddha

Jeeva explains his rather uncommon challenge to the umpire

Towards the end of the first half, with his side leading 13-12, Yoddha raider Rishank Devadiga was captured. He had been having a stellar game until then and expectedly the Titans defence celebrated his capture. However, even as the Titans were patting themselves on the back, the Yoddha went for a review that would eventually drain all the joy from the Titans.

Experienced defender Jeeva Kumar walked up to the umpire and explained that Rishank had gotten himself out by stepping into the lobby without a touch and that his raider was out, but since he had gotten himself out, the defender who entered the lobby to tackle him was also out. The umpire was quite mystified as this was one of those rare instances where a team was challenging that their own raider was out. After some explanation, it was referred and Jeeva was proved right.

Since Rishank had stepped into the lobby without getting a touch, it was a Self Out, and Vishal Bhardwaj was also out as he stepped into the lobby while trying to tackle him. And that's not allowed - a defender can only enter the lobby if the raider has got a touch.

A brilliant bit of thinking from Jeeva gave both sides a point and helped his side keep the edge going into half-time.