Bengaluru: Bengaluru Bulls recorded their third win in vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 9, beating Tamil Thalaivas 45-28 in front of a packed Shree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium in Bengaluru to rise to third spot in the standings on Wednesday. Bharat (12 points), Vikash Kandola (7 points) and Neeraj Narwal (5 points) were the pick of the raiders for the Bulls who broke a two-match losing streak in emphatic style.
The teams traded points at the start, and much like the evening’s first game, both defences were lax in their application, allowing raiders the opportunity to add to their tallies with ease. It didn’t take long — barely halfway through the first period — though, for the Bulls to open up a sizable lead. Bharat, on only his second raid of the evening, got a Super Raid taking out M. Abishek, K. Abhimanyu and Visvanath V to inflict the first All-Out of the game and give the Bulls a 11-5 lead.
The Thalaivas slowly chipped away at that considerable lead as the half wore on, mostly getting bonus points of their own. But just as it seemed the Thalaivas were getting back in the game, the Bulls seized control again. Neeraj Narwal’s heroics at both ends of the mat ensured the home team went into the break leading 18-12.
The Bulls’ momentum continued into the second half with Bharat using his reach and speed to constantly get touch points for his team. Left with just two men on the mat, another All-Out loomed for the Thalaivas. At that precise moment though, Aashish executed a brilliant Super Tackle, taking out Kandola to prolong his team’s capitulation. It didn’t last long though, as Bharat again proved to be the difference through a two-point raid, which helped his team inflict a second All-Out on the Thalaivas as the Bulls extended their lead to 27-18.
The Thalaivas briefly threatened a comeback, which was quickly snuffed out by Kandola who helped inflict a third All-Out on them as the home team cruised to a win.
Top Performers
Bengaluru Bulls: Best Raider – Bharat (11 Raid Points); Best Defender – Mahender Singh (3 Tackle Points)
Tamil Thalaivas: Best Raider – Narender (9 Raid Points); Best Defender – Visvanath V (4 Tackle Points)
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