Gujarat touched the 40-point mark for the second time in Ultimate Kho Kho Season 2 as their all-round mastery on the mat was rewarded with a 41-24 triumph over Telugu Yoddhas at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha, on Friday.

This victory sent Gujarat Giants right to the top of the Ultimate Kho Kho Season 2 points table with three wins from three. Conversely, the Telugu Yoddhas have moved to the fourth position following their second defeat in four games.

If one could divide who dictated terms in Turn 1 by a ratio, one could say that it was 60:40 in favour of Telugu Yoddhas. While the Yoddhas racked up 14 points, they were left frustrated by the Giants getting two Dream Runs in the Turn.

And, taking a cue from their commitment and confidence in Turn 1, Gujarat Giants dominated Turn 2 by overturning the deficit from 2-14 to 18-14. Sanket Kadam, Rajvardhan Patil and Abhinandan Patil were at the forefront of the attack to pile the pressure on the Telugu Yoddhas. 

Turn 3 felt like a see-saw ride, with the Yoddhas enjoying a fair share of moments thanks to Arun Gunki, but the Giants would keep the deficit narrow. Suyash Gargate’s two Dream Runs and two successful review challenges allowed his team to go into the final Turn needing a minimum of three points to chase.

The Telugu Yoddhas, who were enjoying a three-point cushion, would appear complacent in the final stage of the game as Gujarat Giants collected points at regular intervals to assert a 17-point unassailable lead and a 41-24 victory at the final whistle.

All eyes will be fixed tomorrow on Gujarat Giants as they lock horns with Odisha Juggernauts in the ‘Battle of the Unbeatens’. And, in turn, the Telugu Yoddhas will observe how the defending champions - the Juggernauts - play their game ahead of the team’s meeting on Sunday, December 31.

Match Awards

Attacker of the Match: Sanket Kadam

Defender of the Match: V Subramani
Ultimate Kho of the Match: Abhinandan Patil