Mumbai Khiladis registered their second win of Ultimate Kho Kho Season 2, courtesy of a convincing 29-27 victory over an error-prone Rajasthan Warriors at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack on Sunday.

The victory didn't do any significant change to the team's position on the points table, as the Mumbai Khiladis still remained fifth on the UKK Season 2 points table while Rajasthan Warriors remained bottom despite getting a point from the defeat.

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, kept testing the patience of the Mumbai Khiladis attackers, as he spent an active time of a minute and 45 seconds on the mat. The Mumbai Khiladis, meanwhile, would end Turn 1 with a 10-3 lead after dismissing two players in the final seconds of the Turn.

Rajasthan Warriors would easily subvert that advantage in Turn 2, as their attackers sent back two Mumbai batches and a player from the third. While the Khiladis did manage two Dream Run points, the half-time score would read 17-12 in favour of the Warriors - who enforced 14 attack points in Turn 2.

Rajasthan Warriors’ first batch of Turn 3 missed out on a dream run point by just seven seconds. The misery continued as their second batch did not manage a dream run point either, and with a player from their third batch getting sent back, they surrendered their advantage in the match to the Mumbai Khiladis. Sreejesh S, using the opportunity, made it count as he added four attacking points.

Mumbai Khiladis’ defenders took full advantage of the glimmer of hope that their attackers gave them. Rajasthan Warriors sent back Mumbai Khiladis’ 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 while taking advantage of the untimely early rises from the Warriors’ attackers. Siva Reddy managed to stay unbeaten in the match’s final minutes, thus giving the Mumbai Khiladis the second victory of their Ultimate Kho Kho Season 2 campaign.

What’s next? Rajasthan Warriors face Chennai Quick Guns in their final game of UKK Season 2 on January 8, while the Mumbai Khiladis take on Odisha Juggernauts on the final league matchday on January 9.

Match Awards

Attacker of the Match - Sreejesh S

Defender of the Match - Vijay Hajare

Ultimate Kho of the Match - Gajanan Shengal