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Jaipur Pink Panthers produced an impressive all-round display to eliminate Tamil Thalaivas from the playoffs race with a 34-27 win in the Pro Kabaddi League in Pune on Sunday.
Arjun Deshwal found ample support from the likes of Neeraj Narwal and Abhijeet Malik, while Ankush Rathee led the defensive charge. For the Tamil Thalaivas, Nitesh Kumar's High 5 went in vain.
Later on Sunday, two teams still in the playoff race played out a thrilling encounter as UP Yoddhas edged out U Mumba 30-27 in Match 114 of the ongoing Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) 11 at the Badminton Hall, Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune.
The raiding duo of Gagan Gowda and Bhavani Rajput delivered a stellar performance, ensuring a Sunday evening blockbuster and propelling UP Yoddhas to third place on the points table.
The Panthers skipper and star raider Arjun had good support from his supporting raiders Abhijeet and Ankush as the two-time Champions began to take an early lead.
Arjun started the point-scoring with a running hand touch on Amir Hossein Bastami, while Abhijeet secured a Do-Or-Die raid against Aashish.
For the Thalaivas, a Super Tackle sent Arjun to the bench but the impressive start by the defenders did not last for too long.
Six consecutive points for Jaipur saw Sai Prasad caught by Surjeet Singh just after Abhishek Manokaran surrendered to Neeraj Narwal for an ALL OUT.
This gave the team a good platform as the score read 20-13 at the end of the first half.
Jaipur piled the pressure on the Thalaivas as for every point won by the Thalaivas, Arjun Deshwal's side had a very strong response.
Using their defensive prowess, the Panthers continued to dominate the second half of the match, consistently neutralizing Thalaivas' offensive attempts.
In a commanding display of the Panthers' defensive lineup, led by stellar performances from Ankush Rathee – who scored a High 5 – systematically dismantled the Thalaivas' raiders.
He stepped up as Arjun Deshwal struggled to find his rhythm, repeatedly getting tackled by the Thalaivas' defenders.
The Thalaivas rode on the raiders of Abhishek and Chandran Ranjith, who stepped up to maintain the team's momentum.
The Panthers effectively controlled the Do-Or-Die raids that helped expand their lead.
As the match came to a close, the Panthers decisively outperformed the Thalaivas, ultimately securing a comprehensive seven-point victory.