We are in for some adrenaline rush with the playoffs coming in from 2nd September at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Mahalunge, Pune. The first game of the day will be an Eliminator in which we will see Telugu Yoddhas taking on Chennai Quick Guns. It is a knockout game in which the team winning the game will be through to Qualifier 2 and the losing team will get eliminated. Gujarat Giants will be up against Odisha Juggernauts in the second game. The team that wins the game here will make it to the final and the losing team will get another opportunity to keep themselves in the hunt and get a chance in Qualifier 2. 

Let’s have a look at what to expect on the Playoff matchday 1 of Ultimate Kho Kho.

Eliminator: Telugu Yoddhas vs Chennai Quick Guns

Telugu Yoddhas have been a power-packed team this season so far. They won six games and lost four games in the league stage. They rested quite a few players in the previous game against Odisha Juggernauts but managed to register a convincing win. This shows how strong their bench strength is. The Yoddhas are a class apart when it comes to attacking. They have scored 584 points in the attack and the second-best team Gujarat Giants are 86 points behind which shows their dominance on the mat. And that is not all, they have also got the most defending points for a team with 92 points. The All-Rounder, Arun Gunki has looked mighty impressive with 70 points to his credit. They have also got the likes of Rohan Shingade who has amassed 63 points in the competition and Avdhut Patil who has 54 points in his bag. They have all the bases covered and will look to go guns blazing against Chennai Quick Guns.

On the other hand, with a win against Mumbai Khiladis, Chennai Quick Guns broke into the top 4 in the UKK maiden season with 15 points. They have been an inconsistent side throughout the tournament with five wins and five losses in their account. They would be aiming to go all guns blazing against the top attacking side amongst all six. Their All-Rounder, Ramji Kashyap has been a runaway match-winner and has contributed in both departments. He is not just the leading Attacker in the tournament with 103 points but he has also got the best defending time with 19:49 seconds. He has the ability to win matches for his side single-handedly with his all-round show and the Quick Guns would have high expectations from him to deliver in this knockout game. P Narasayya has played the second fiddle for the Chennai side with 61 points to his credit. He has also been a proven customer of the team. It is also notable that these are the only two teams to have got depth in their defence as they haven’t conceded a Full On Chase in the competition. With a ticket to Qualifier 2 on the line, this promises to be a mouth-watering affair.

Head-to-Head: 

Telugu Yoddhas and Chennai Quick Guns have faced each other twice in the competition and have come out victorious one time each. Telugu Yoddhas won the first game by a scoreline of 48-38 while Chennai Quick Guns tasted success in the second game by a 53-46 margin.

Qualifier 1: Odisha Juggernauts vs Gujarat Giants

Odisha Juggernauts have been a force to reckon with in the inaugural UKK season. They finished the league stage in second place with seven wins and three losses to their kitty. They are the second-best defending team in the tournament with 74 points in the bank. Suraj Lande, the Attacker amassed 60 points in the league stage matches. Along with Suraj, Gowtham M K has also been a reliable player for the Juggernauts. The Defender has collected 26 points in defence. Dilip Khandavi has been the trump card for Odisha who can do wonders once he gets going. The key All-Rounders on their side are Nilesh Jadhav who has scored 59 points, Subhasish Santra who has 49 points to his credit and the captain, Milind Chavrekar who has 42 points to his name. The think tank will surely look to send their best playing XII on the mat for this all-important encounter against Gujarat Giants.

Gujarat Giants were the team to beat in the league stage. They have played some amazing Kho Kho and have been on the top of their game. They topped the UKK standings at the end of the league stage with seven wins and three losses in the tournament. They have got the second-best Wazir of the UKK, Abhinandan Patil who is cool and composed on the mat. He has scored 73 points so far. Ankit Pote has also been one of their star Attackers who has 53 points to his credit. They have quality Defenders like Akshay Bhangare, Mareppa, Sagar Potdar and Vinayak Pokarde in the lineup. They have also got All-Rounders like Suyash Gargate and T Jaggannath Das who provide balance to their side. Both teams have done all the hard yards in the tournament so far and that is why the loser of this game will get an extra chance to keep themselves alive when they meet the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2. However, the two teams will look to extend their limits to confirm a ticket for the finale without any hassle.

Head-to-Head: 

Both teams have met twice so far and have a 1-1 record in the tournament. Gujarat Giants claimed a 54-49 victory in the first game while Odisha Juggernauts held their nerve in the second game to win by a scoreline of 50-47.

Where and when to watch?

Watch Ultimate Kho Kho Live and exclusive on Sony Ten 1, Sony Ten 3, Sony Ten 4 and Sony Liv tonight. The first game of the day will start at 7:30 PM IST, while the second game of the day will begin at 8:45 PM IST.