Pro Kabaddi League 2018 | Match 49: UP Yoddha vs Bengal Warriors Review | 4 November 2018

UP Yoddha having lost their first two matches in their home leg at Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex were looking to bounce back. Rishank Devadiga and Shrikant Jadhav would strive to score big points against Surjeet Singh led Bengal Warriors. Bengal looked a solid unit but suffered at the hands of Patna Pirates in the absence of Maninder Singh. Tonight was the game to get their form back on track.

Starting 7:

UP Yoddha – Rishank Devadiga, Shrikant Jadhav, Nitesh Kumar, Jeeva Kumar, Sachin Kumar, Narender, Prashanth Kumar Rai.

Bengal Warriors – Mahesh Goud, Surjeet Singh, Maninder Singh, Shrikant Tewathia, Adarsh T, Vijin Thangadurai

Substitutes used:

Azad Singh and Sagar Krishna for UP Yoddha. Rakesh Narwal and Ziaur Rahman for Bengal Warriors.

Toss:

UP Yoddha’s captain, Rishank Devadiga won the toss.

First 5 minutes in the game and UP Yoddha looked very confident with their lead in this game. However, 7 minutes down the game, Bengal Warriors picked up the pace as well, levelling the score to 4-4.

Maninder during his raid. [Picture Courtesy: ProKabaddi.com]

Both teams played a rather patient game. Nobody was ready to give a chance to the opposition team to outshine, even for once. Five minutes before halftime, both Rishank Devadiga and Maninderm the lead raiders of the teams, were sent to the bench by excellent tackles from the teams. The score was 9-all. Nitesh Kumar got back to back tackles. Rishank Devadiga, UP Yoddha captain got tackled by Surjeet Singh in the last raid of the 1sthalf to hand the lead 12-11 to the Warriors at the stroke of halftime.

Maninder Singh got a touch point on Narender for the fourth time in the match. In the very next raid, Maninder got tackled by Nitesh Kumar and the newcomer Azad scored 2 crucial raid points in a do-or-die raid, to hand the lead to UP Yoddha at 14-13.

Azad was turning out to be a do-or-die specialist and got rid of Mahesh Goud in his second do-or-die raid. Jang Kun Lee got tackled in a subsequent raid and with Sachin Kumar getting rid of Surjeet, Bengal was left with a lone person on the mat.

With 12 minutes remaining on the clock, the home team inflicted an all-out on the Warriors by attempting a successful thigh hold on Maninder Singh. The score became 21-17. But 6 minutes before full time, Maninder was seen back in action again when he completed a Toofani Super Raid by taking 3 points, equalizing the score to 23-all.

Jang Kun Lee during a raid attempt. [Picture Courtesy: ProKabaddi.com]

With the last man standing, Rishank Devadiga, he kept UP’s hopes alive by putting in a 2-point raid but, Maninder Singh spoiled the party by getting rid of both men and inflicting an all-out on the home side with less than 5 minutes remaining. The match which was until now played on defensive strength was suddenly lightening up with both sides pushing for a win. It was 26-28, in favour of Bengal.

Rishank Devadiga completed his Super 10 and brought UP on level terms at 28-all. In the last minute of the match, while the Warriors planned every second to maintain a 1-point difference, Jang Kun Lee’s foot slip during his raid bought UP Yoddha at par to 30-all.

UP Yoddha seemed to be happy taking home a tie but there was drama still left in the match. Surjeet Singh scored a touch point in the very last raid possibly handing over the victory to Bengal. UP Yoddha reviewed and the decision was overturned to finish the match in a tie.

Both Rishank Devadiga and Maninder in action. [Picture Courtesy: ProKabaddi.com]

This was the 2nd time, that both these teams shared the spoils this season. Probably, that was the fair result with each side giving their all at Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex. This gives UP Yoddha 3 points to show for their home leg after two successive defeats.

With some confidence back, the Yoddhas should target to get a win under their belt against the Telugu Titans. Bengal Warriors remain fourth in the Zone B table with 22 points. Maninder Singh once again proved to be their go-to man as he completed another Super 10. Other Bengal raiders need to step up their game and avoid over-reliance on their star raider, Maninder.

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