PKL 9: Tamil Thalaivas, UP Yoddhas win important games

There's no stopping for the young Narender this season.

Tamil Thalaivas vs Bengal Warriors

The Tamil Thalaivas attained a big lead at the end of the first half of their Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 9 game against Bengal Warriors, but the side from Bengal put up a strong fight in the second half at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad on Monday. However, Narender kept effecting raids and eventually helped the Tamil Thalaivas win 35-30 in the end.

Narender picked up a few raids as the Tamil Thalaivas took the lead at 5-3 in the 4th minute. However, the Warriors tackled Narender soon after and stayed in the game at 5-7. However, Ajinkya Pawar stepped up his game and reduced the Warriors to just three members on the mat. Deepak Hooda found it difficult to break the Thalaivas' defense as the side from Tamil Nadu took a massive lead at 10-5 in the 11th minute.

But, Balaji D and Manoj Gowda carried out a SUPER TACKLE to avoid an all out and reduced the gap between the two sides. Moments later, Gowda effected a fantastic raid as the Warriors reached within touching distance of  Thalaivas' score at 10-11. However, the team from Tamil Nadu attained the momentum again and inflicted an ALL OUT to take the lead at 17-11 in the 18th minute. The Thalaivas kept raging on and led at 21-13 at the end of the first half.

The Thalaivas' defense unit led by Captain Sagar tackled Maninder Singh in the opening minutes of the second half as the Tamil side continued to have a stronghold of the match at 22-15. Thereafter, Maninder carried out a couple of brilliant raids, but the Thalaivas still held the lead at 24-20 in the 29th minute. Narender and Ajinkya Pawar helped the Tamil side extend its lead after picking up successive raids, but moments later, Maninder pulled off a SUPER RAID to keep the Warriors in the game at 25-27. 

However, Narender brought the momentum towards the Thalaivas' side, soon after, with a magnificent two-point raid. The star raider kept picking up points as the side from Tamil Nadu continued to hold the lead at 31-29 in the 38th minute. The Warriors threatened to level the score in the last two minutes, but the Thalaivas carried out a SUPER TACKLE in the last minute of the match and sealed the deal in the end.

UP Yoddhas vs Gujarat Giants

An all-round performance gave the U.P. Yoddhas a brilliant 35-31 win over the Gujarat Giants in the second game of day 39 of PKL 9 at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad on Monday. Pardeep Narwal got his 1500th point in the league on a day when he finished with 9 points to help the Yoddhas to victory. 

A slow start saw the UP Yoddhas take five consecutive points before the Giants had even opened their account. It took the Giants seven points to register their first point of the game and when they did, the Yoddhas, led by Pardeep Narwal hit them with a series of touch points to leave them on the verge of an all out. Narwal cleaned up the remaining two Giants defenders to inflict the first ALL OUT of the game and helped the UP side take a 13-2 lead. That raid also saw him extend his all time numbers, as he registered his 1500th point in the league.

Despite a brief Giants fightback, the Yoddhas stayed in complete control, their raiders perfectly complemented by a smart defence. The UP team went into the break leading 20-10.Stung by their first half capitulation, the Giants sprinted out of the gates in the second half and had, within the first five minutes, cut the lead by half. They inflicted an ALL OUT of their own to reduce the lead to one point. Thereafter, both teams started trading blows on almost every raid. The Giants kept the pressure on the Yoddhas and ensured that they never got too safe. In the last two minutes, the difference between the two teams never extended two points, and with the last raid, the Giants needed success to get something from the game. However, a SUPER TACKLE by the Yoddhas on Dhaiya closed the doors on Giants' hopes in the end.

Award Winners of the Night:

PKL 9 Day 39 Match 1: Tamil Thalaivas vs Bengal Warriors

vivo Perfect Player of the Match - Narender (Tamil Thalaivas)

Dream 11 Gamechanger of the Match - Sagar (Tamil Thalaivas)

Moment of the Match - Sagar (Tamil Thalaivas)

PKL 9 Day 39 Match 2: U.P. Yoddhas vs Gujarat Giants

vivo Perfect Player of the Match - Pardeep Narwal (U.P. Yoddhas)

Dream 11 Gamechanger of the Match - Rohit Tomar (U.P. Yoddhas)

Moment of the Match - Pardeep Narwal (U.P. Yoddhas)