PKL 12: Top five best moments from Day 23 matches

Puneri Paltan holds the top spot at the end of Day 23 of PKL 12.

Day 23 of Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 (PKL 12) began with the Bengaluru Bulls facing off against the Gujarat Giants. This match was a close contest as neither team was ready to accept defeat.

Remarkably, both sides played the entire 40 minutes without inflicting a single all-out. However, in the end, the Bengaluru Bulls held their nerves and clinched a victory in a low-scoring thriller.

In the second match, the UP Yoddhas dominated the Tamil Thalaivas. They registered a resounding 17-point win over the Thalaivas. The Thalaivas never looked competitive throughout the game, as the Yoddhas, brilliantly led by Sumit, returned to winning ways after suffering four consecutive defeats.

The day had a mix of incredible performances and some disappointing ones. On that note, let’s take a look at the top five moments from Day 23 of PKL 12:

5. Sumit’s High 5

UP Yoddhas captain Sumit was brilliant once again tonight, leading his team to victory. He registered his third High 5 of the season, and notably, all three of his High 5s have come in matches that the Yoddhas won.

In fact, the team hasn’t won a single game this season without his High 5, clearly showing how important the captain’s performance is to their success. He was well supported by the other defenders, with both Ashu and Mahinder contributing 4 tackle points each.

The raiding department also came together with a strong performance, making it a complete team effort that secured an important win for the UP Yoddhas.

4. Nitesh Kumar – “The Lone Warrior”

Tamil Thalaivas had a disappointing outing today, with their top scorer being a defender, Nitesh Kumar, who fought like a lone warrior against the Yoddhas.

Last season’s Best Defender once again showed his brilliance, scoring his second High 5 of the season and finishing with 7 tackle points, the highest individual score of the match.

Unfortunately, he received no support from his teammates. The raiding department could manage only 11 raid points, while the rest of the defense added just 3 tackle points apart from Nitesh. This lack of collective effort proved costly as the Thalaivas suffered another defeat.

3. Akash Shinde’s comeback show

Akash Shinde had been benched in the previous games after a few poor performances, with the coach being quite strict on him. He was soon replaced by the brilliance of Alireza and Ashish, who delivered crucial wins for the Bulls.

But today, the coach showed faith in Akash once again, and he did not disappoint. In a low-scoring thriller dominated by defenders, Akash stepped up when it mattered the most. He scored 7 raid points and proved important in securing the win for the Bulls.

Early in the match, when the Bulls were on the verge of an all-out, Akash pulled off a stunning super raid to save his team. Then, in the ending minutes, with only three Bulls left on the mat and the clock ticking down, he produced another brilliant raid in a do-or-die situation, sealing the victory for his side.

2. Shadloui’s Failure once again

A defender once feared by raiders for his mere presence is struggling to find his rhythm in Season 12 of the PKL. Mohammadreza Shadloui, who averaged nearly 4 tackle points per match before this season, has managed only 9 tackle points in 7 matches so far, with a horrible average of just 1.28 tackle points per game.

Today was no different, as he once again failed to make an impact. Against Bengaluru Bulls, he scored only 1 tackle point while committing 4 unsuccessful attempts, which proved to be a key factor in the Giants’ defeat. The Giants’ fans will be hoping that Showstopper returns in his old form and scripts a comeback for the Gujarat Giants.

1. Arjun Deshwal Fails

Tamil Thalaivas had another disappointing outing today, suffering their third consecutive loss, which pushed them down to 9th place on the points table. The biggest reason for their defeat was the raiding department’s failure to step up.

Star raider Arjun Deshwal failed to make an impact, scoring only 2 raid points from 11 attempts and getting tackled 4 times in the process. On a day when Arjun struggled, no other raider rose to the occasion, leaving the Thalaivas with just 11 raid points in total.

As a result, they lost by 17 points against UP Yoddhas. Fans had high expectations from the Thalaivas after the auction, but so far the campaign has been disappointing, with the team unable to find any rhythm in the tournament. While Arjun has shown his brilliance, his recent inconsistency has played a big part in the Thalaivas’ struggles.

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