Uday Dabas Stars as Gazab Ghaziabad Crushes Yamuna Yoddhas in UPKL

Gazab Ghaziabad took control of the contest early, combining aggressive raiding with a disciplined defensive effort to put Yamuna Yoddhas under sustained pressure. The momentum firmly swung in Gazab's favour as they inflicted a series of all-outs, steadily widening the gap on the scoreboard.

Captain Uday Dabas led from the front with an outstanding display of raiding. He orchestrated three all-outs during the match, repeatedly breaking through the Yamuna defence. One of the defining moments came when Dabas, despite being held by two defenders, pushed forward with determination and crossed the half line to complete the raid and wipe out the remaining players.

Uday Dabas finished the match with 19 raid points, emerging as the standout performer, while Gazab's defence complemented the attack by staying compact and effective, keeping Yamuna's raiders largely in check. At halftime, Gazab Ghaziabad already held a commanding 30-12 lead and continued to dominate proceedings in the second half, extending their advantage with consistent raids and timely tackles to close out the contest comfortably.

The match was witnessed by Tusshar Kapoor, co-owner of Gazab Ghaziabad, who was present at the Noida Indoor Stadium to support the team as they registered a comprehensive victory. He congratulated the team on the victory and expressed confidence that if the players continue to perform at this level, they will go on to lift the UPKL trophy.

Earlier on Friday, Awadh Ramdoots edged past Kanpur Warriors 35-34 in a tense contest that remained undecided until the final raid. Kanpur Warriors went into halftime with a 17-15 advantage after a late super raid by Sushant, but Awadh Ramdoots showed resilience in the second half. Captain Abhimanyu Raghuvanshi led the fightback, while Awadh's defence stood firm under pressure to secure a narrow but crucial win.

In the second match, Kashi Kings produced one of the most dominant performances of the tournament so far, defeating Ganga Kings of Mirzapur 52-30. Kashi Kings controlled proceedings throughout the match, inflicting six all-outs and steadily pulling away on the scoreboard. Raider of the Match Arjun Sirohi led the attack, while Best Defender Vipul Chaudhary marshalled the defence effectively.

Defending champions Lucknow Lions continued their strong run with a convincing 40-21 victory over Purvanchal Panthers. Lucknow Lions set the tone early, with Arjun Deshwal opening the match with a super raid and guiding his team to a 20-8 lead at halftime. Purvanchal attempted to mount a comeback after the break, but Lucknow halted the momentum with four timely super tackles. Deshwal finished as Raider of the Match with nine raid points and three tackle points, while Mohd Aman was named Defender of the Match with seven tackle points.

- IANS