PKL | Deepak Narwal’s Super 10 ensures Bengal Warriors win over UP Yoddha

08/22/2017

Deepak Narwal’s brilliance helped Bengal Warriors to a narrow victory as UP Yoddha ran out of luck in Lucknow. Nitin Tomar and Rishank Devadiga led a valiant recovery but their efforts were in vain as they fell short by one point in another loss in their home leg.

Spectacular performance from Deepak Narwal led Bengal Warrior in the first half

The match started cagily with Yoddha skipper Tomar and Jand Kun Lee exchanging points, before Maninder gave the early lead to Bengal. UP then had the rub of the green as Rishank led a successful raid, and their defence denied Deepak Narwal to level the scores at 3-3. Tomar introduced himself in the do or die raid and successfully gave one point lead to UP. Maninder failed to grab point in the do or die raid, similarly, UP’s skipper was out of the game as he also failed to score in do or die raid and the score reached at 5-4 in favour of UP. Bengal recovered as Deepak’s 2 successful raid points helped them to a 2 point lead. The 2 teams then exchanged points before Bengal finally took control as Lee scored in his raid before sending Devadiga out of the court with the score reaching 7-12 in favour of Bengal. With one man left in UP’s half, Deepak secured one raid point, but Rajesh hit back with two crucial raid points, which helped the UP team call back their two players. They followed up the good play with a Super Tackle and levelled the scores at 13-13. The recovery was in vain as Bengal re-established a 2 point lead before Deepak’s raid inflicted the first all-out of the game and took the score to 14-19 at the end of the first half.

Tomar and Rishank lead UP’s recovery, but the Yoddhas fall just short

Nitin opened the second half with a raid point and his team then handled Lee’s raid helping UP come back into the game 16-19. After two empty raids Nitin Tomar faced a do or die raid but he was grabbed successfully by Warriors’ defence, but UP’s defence hit back in a play that saw Deepak Narwal exit the game. Rishank decreased the difference and earned one raid point but he, too, followed Deepak with the score 18-21. Bhupender Singh’s toe touch increase Bengal’s tally while Tomar managed two bonus point and one raid point in his three raids. Deepak Narwal managed two raid points in a do or die raid which again helped Bengal maintain a three point difference at 21-24. Rishank continued to steal points for his team and added one raid point to UP’s tally. With time running out, the Yoddhas applied serious pressure, but the Warriors made them fight for every single inch to maintain their slender lead. The pressure told on Bengal as Hadi Tajik managed one raid point before UP’s defence sent Bhupender out of the game to level the match at 25-25. It was nervy stuff after that with 6 minutes remaining, but Bengal drew first blood in the endgame by sending UP’s skipper out of the game. Deepak Narwal then completed his Super 10 by taking two points in a do or die raid. But the Yoddha’s resilience showed as they managed 2 consecutive points, before Bengal sent Devadiga out of the game. Mahesh Goud managed 2 more points for UP, but Deepak finally ensured the win for Bengal with the scores at 31-32.