By Our Correspondent
CUTTACK/BHUBANESWAR: Mumbai Khiladis recorded their second win of Ultimate Kho Kho Season 2, downing Rajasthan Warriors 29-27 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack on Sunday.
A see-saw match, which kept alternating in favour of either side, was finally secured by a brilliant defensive display by Mumbai Khiladis in the final turn.
Ultimate Kho Kho, promoted by Amit Burman in collaboration with the Kho Kho Federation of India, became the first Indian sports league to secure Series A funding, courtesy the UK-based BNP Group. Monday’s matches featured a number of special guests, including Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, who flipped the coin during the toss, and Indian Super League club Odisha FC’s players Lalliansanga Renthlei, Pungte Lapung, Paogoumang Singson and Niraj Kumar, who were in the stands to cheer on the home team Odisha Juggernauts who will play against Telugu Yoddhas in the second match.
Rajasthan Warriors got their match off to a brilliant start. Their first batch of Satej Patil, Vrushab Wagh and Vijay Hajare scored three dream run points. Hajare, in particular, frustrated the Mumbai Khiladis attackers, spending a minute and 45 seconds on the mat. Mumbai Khiladis only managed to send back two more players in the turn, which meant that they only carried a 10-3 advantage into Turn 2.
That advantage was easily subverted by Rajasthan Warriors in Turn 2 as their attackers sent back two Mumbai batches and a player from the third. Mumbai Warriors did manage two dream run points, but trailed 12-17, going into the second innings.
Rajasthan Warriors’ first batch of Turn 3 missed out on a dream run point by just seven seconds. Their second batch did not manage a dream run point either, and with a player from their third batch getting sent back, Mumbai Khiladis had a route back into the match. Sreejesh S added four attacking points to the four he had in the first innings.
Mumbai Khiladis’ defenders took full advantage of the glimmer of hope that their attackers gave them. Rajasthan Warriors sent back Mumbai Khiladi’s first batch early to come within a couple of dismissals of winning the match. But the second batch of Gajanan Shengal, Sreejesh S and P Siva Reddy put on a brilliant defensive display, bagging three dream run points. Siva Reddy managed to stay unbeaten, giving his team the win.
On Monday, Telugu Yoddhas will take on Gujarat Giants while Chennai Quick Guns will take on Rajasthan Warriors.
The exciting action of Ultimate Kho Kho will be telecast on Sony Sports Network’s channels and SonyLiv with live coverage of two matches daily starting at 7.30pm IST.
