PKL 12: Gujarat Giants Clinch Fourth Win; UP Yoddhas Suffer Fifth Straight Loss
UP Yoddhas vs Gujarat Giants, Pro Kabaddi League 2025: UP started better than in previous matches. Captain Sumit and Guman scored consecutive points, but they failed to contain Rakesh, leading Gujarat to a 6-4 lead after five minutes. However, UP soon equalized the score. A revived Rakesh made it 9-7 with a two-point raid, but UP equalized the score with two consecutive points.
On Thursday, the Gujarat Giants defeated the UP Yoddhas 40-39 in the 74th match of the 12th season of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. UP suffered its fifth consecutive defeat, while this was Gujarat's fourth win in 12 matches. With Gujarat's victory, Dabang Delhi became the first of the eight teams to advance to the playoffs.
However, UP started better than in previous matches. Captain Sumit and Guman scored points consistently, but they failed to contain Rakesh. Gujarat held a 6-4 lead after five minutes, but UP soon equalized. A revived Rakesh made it 9-7 with a two-point raid, but UP equalized with two consecutive points.
Gujarat then took another two-point lead, but UP closed the gap to one. After the break, Gujarat scored two consecutive points to close the gap to three. Rakesh, in a four-point defense, scored two points, pushing UP towards an all-out, but Ashu and Jayesh closed the gap to one with a super tackle on Shadlu. Meanwhile, Rakesh completed a Super-10. However, the next time, Rakesh all-outed UP, putting Gujarat ahead 20-16.
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Gujarat held a 22-19 lead at halftime, which UP reduced to two, but Gujarat soon closed the gap to four. Rakesh then scored two points on a do-or-die raid to make the score 27-21. The defense then caught Bhavani, pushing UP towards an all-out, which they then executed to take a 31-21 lead.
Gujarat maintained its dominance and maintained a 10-point lead. Bhavani took out Shadlu, but Rakesh revived him. Guman, however, took him out on the next raid. After 30 minutes, Gujarat led 35-26, but Guman scored two consecutive points to close the gap to seven. UP then brought Gujarat to the brink of an all-out, executing another raid to make it 33-36. UP then reduced the lead to one and then equalized.
Meanwhile, Gujarat took a two-point lead, but Hitesh closed the gap to one with a chain tackle and equalized. Meanwhile, Rakesh dismissed Sumit to give Gujarat the lead, which Guman equalized, but Shadlu restored the lead to one. Guman went for the final raid and was caught. Thus, Gujarat won the match by one point.
