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#3 Patna Pirates and UP Yoddha serve up a treat
After a very cagey affair between the Bulls and Titans, the second encounter of the night delivered in a big way.
What a fantastic battle these two sides served up, the two teams trading punches like two very good boxers. Their captains were front and centre in their performances -- Nitin Tomar was superb with 14 points from 24 raids for the Yoddha, while Pardeep Narwal was once again sensational with 15 points from 23 raids.
It was an absolute barn-burner that swung in favour of each side multiple times in a contest that was played at a frenetic pace.
Pardeep took a blow to the head that led to him forced off the mat to stop the bleeding. Nitin and the Pirates' Monu Goyat meanwhile led the charge for their respective sides. Rishank Devadiga brought about a Super Raid just before Pardeep could come back in the game. Pardeep came back in on a Do-or-Die raid and picked up two points like it was the easiest thing in the world. The Pirates effected the first All Out, but the Yoddha came right back to reduce them to two men and tie things up at 20-20 at half-time.
The Yoddha took the lead in the second period, but behind Pardeep's record-breaking effort the Pirates seemed to have done enough when they inflicted a second All Out on the Yoddha to take their biggest lead at 35-29 with 10:40 left in the game. Nitin though was not taking it lying down as he almost single-handedly willed his side back into the contest and inflict a second All Out themselves on the Pirates and lead 38-35 with about five minutes to go.
But cometh the hour, cometh the man. Who else, but Pardeep Narwal?
With his side down three and time running out, Pardeep dealt a body blow to the Yoddha with a 3-point Super Raid that tie the score at 40 a piece. The Pirates rode that momentum to finish the game strongly and eventually pick up the win with a third All Out on the Yoddha.
Two fantastic captain's performances, multiple lead changes, five All Outs in total and a phenomenal raid to swing the game right at the end - this game delivered big time.
