The first matchday of Ultimate Kho Kho Season 2 got off to a blistering start, one with promise, intent, entertainment and just Kho-lity joy!
As in tradition, the second edition was given a grand ‘OPEN’ by esteemed guests Sudhanshu Mittal (President of the Kho Kho Federation of India), Tenzing Niyogi (CEO of Ultimate Kho Kho), Raghubar Das (Governor of Odisha) and Tusharkanti Behera (Sports Minister of Odisha).
Game 1 saw champions and hosts Odisha Juggernauts prove to be a class apart with a convincing 35-27 triumph over Rajasthan Warriors. Meanwhile, in Game 2, Telugu Yoddhas proved to be one step ahead of a spirited Mumbai Khiladis in a close 46-42 win.
Match 1: Odisha Juggernauts vs Rajasthan Warriors
From the first whistle, there was an explosion of adrenaline rush as Odisha Juggernauts showed an early glimpse of how they became champions in UKK Season 1. The Juggernauts took out the first batch of Rajasthan Warriors within the initial two minutes, with Rohan Shingade using a Sky Dive to take out Vijay Hajare and give his team a 6-0 lead. Thanks to Manoj Patil's efforts, this would stretch up to 16-0 by the end of Turn 1.
Rajasthan Warriors tried to engineer a fightback in Turn 2, but they could only invite more pressure from a confident Juggernauts. All-rounders Dilip Khandavi and Dipesh More stitched not one but two Dream Runs to take the score to 19-10 at the end of the first inning.
In Turn 3, the energy and commitment levels skyrocketed as the Juggernauts dashed off to a score of 35-11 with a 16-1 lead. However, like the last saga of an action movie, Turn 4 proved intense as Rajasthan Warriors found some momentum to cut down the deficit. Alas, time was short, and Odisha Juggernauts walked out with a 35-27 win.
Match Awards
Attacker of the Match: Manoj Patil
Defender of the Match: Nikhil B
Ultimate Kho of the Match: Rohan Shingade
Match 2: Telugu Yoddhas vs Mumbai Khiladis
The action, the intensity, the awe, the angst! You got it all in this matchup.
Turn 1 = Telugu Yoddhas 24-0 Mumbai Khiladis
Turn 2 = Telugu Yoddhas 24-26 Mumbai Khiladis
Would you believe this? Skipper Pratik Waikar - also the Wazir - set the tone for the Yoddhas to assert an initial advantage with his brilliant attacking skills in Turn 1. However, it wouldn’t take long for the Mumbai Khiladis to strike back - with even more desire. Aniket Pote, Gajanan Shengal and P Siva Reddy masterminded the chase in Turn 2.
In Turn 3, all-rounders Dhruv and Rahul Mandal would win back the lead for Telugu Yoddhas and drive it up to a 12-point advantage. The Khiladis would fight again to reduce the deficit to four points, but the inspirational defending of Akash Togare ensured the Yoddhas took away the bragging rights from the fixture with a 46-42 win.
Match Awards
Attacker of the Match: Rahul Mandal
Defender of the Match: Akash Togare
Ultimate Kho of the Match: Gajanan Shengal
