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Panipat Panthers Clinch Thrilling Tie-Breaker Win Over Faridabad Fighters

The Panipat Panthers secured a dramatic victory over the Faridabad Fighters in the Kabaddi Champions League, winning a tie-breaker 9-2 after the match ended 26-26 in regulation time. Faridabad's Rohit Guliya led a strong offensive effort, pushing his team to a late 25-22 lead. However, a crucial late raid by Pawan Hooda and a final defensive stop forced the match into a tie-breaker. In the decider, Panipat dominated, with Deepanshu Khatri and Meetu Sharma leading a composed and airtight defensive and raiding performance.

Key Points: Panipat Panthers Win KCL Thriller in Tie-Breaker

  • Dramatic tie-breaker finish
  • Late comeback forces decider
  • Rohit Guliya's standout raiding
  • Meetu Sharma's composure in raiding
2 min read

KCL: Panipat Panthers seal dramatic tie-breaker win against Faridabad Fighters

Panipat Panthers defeat Faridabad Fighters in a dramatic Kabaddi Champions League tie-breaker after a 26-26 draw. Read the full match report.

"Panipat's defence remained airtight, restricting Faridabad to just two points in the tie-breaker. - Match Report"

Panipat, January 26

Panipat Panthers held their nerve in a dramatic encounter to defeat Faridabad Fighters in a tie-breaker after the teams were locked at 26-26 at full time in their Kabaddi Champions League clash, according to a release.

Faridabad Fighters opened the scoring, but Panipat responded quickly through strong defensive efforts from Deepanshu Khatri, keeping the match evenly poised at 2-2. The opening quarter remained tightly contested, with both sides trading points and Narender Kandola ensuring the scores stayed level at 6-6.

Post the strategic time-out, Faridabad gained momentum as Rohit Guliya led the attack, opening up a two-point lead. At 7-11, Guliya produced a decisive super raid that reduced Panipat to three men, initially resulting in an all-out. However, a successful review overturned the decision into a super tackle, cutting the deficit to 9-11. Ashish Narwal then struck with a successful raid before Guliya answered back, as Faridabad headed into halftime trailing narrowly 14-13.

The second half saw Faridabad regain control early, with Guliya continuing his aggressive raiding to push his side ahead 21-17. Panipat stayed in the contest through timely defensive stops and raids by Kandola, but Faridabad again stretched the lead to 22-19 before the final strategic time-out.

The final quarter turned into a tense tactical battle. With two minutes remaining, Faridabad led 25-22, but Panipat mounted a late comeback. Pawan Hooda produced a crucial raid to revive a teammate and reduce the gap, and a quick follow-up raid brought the score to 26-25. A successful defensive effort on Faridabad's final do-or-die raid forced the match into a tie-breaker.

In the tie-breaker, Panipat Panthers dominated proceedings. Deepanshu Khatri set the tone with a crucial tackle, while Meetu Sharma led the raiding unit with composure and control. Panipat's defence remained airtight, restricting Faridabad to just two points, as the Panthers sealed the tie-breaker 9-2.

Despite the loss the Best Raider and Best Defender of the Match remained with Faridabad Fighters with Rohit Guliya and Yogesh winning the titles.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Rohit Guliya was absolutely phenomenal for Faridabad. Best Raider award well deserved. It's a shame his individual brilliance couldn't get the team over the line. That overturned all-out call was a huge turning point.
V
Vikram M
Deepanshu Khatri is the unsung hero. His defence in the first half kept Panipat in the game, and he set the tone in the tie-breaker. Defence wins championships, yaar! Meetu Sharma also showed great composure under pressure. Great team win.
R
Rohit P
Faridabad's game management in the last 5 minutes was poor. They had a 3-point lead and should have closed it out. Too many unforced errors. They need to learn how to kill games. Still, a thrilling match for the fans!
P
Priya S
So proud of the Panthers! 🐾 Coming from Haryana, it's great to see our local boys putting up such a fight. The never-say-die attitude is what defines kabaddi. Jai Hind and Jai Kabaddi on Republic Day!
M
Michael C
As a new follower of the sport, the tension in this match was incredible. The tie-breaker format is brutal but fair. It's fascinating to see the blend of raw athleticism and strategy. Kudos to both teams for the spectacle.

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