Cuttack, Jan 8 (IANS): Gujarat Giants moved to the top of the points table in the Ultimate Kho Kho Season 2 with a 42-22 victory over Telugu Yoddhas at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium here on Monday.

The victory was built on the back of a strong defensive performance as Gujarat Giants’ defenders earned a total of eight dream-run points. Arnav Patankar and V. Subramani led the attacking show for Gujarat Giants with ten points each.

Gujarat Giants started the match with an excellent defensive performance. The first batch of Vinayak Pokarde, Akshay Bhangare and Ram Mohan ran rings around the Telugu Yoddhas attackers, aided by a series of successful reviews. When they were done, they had amassed a whopping five dream run points. At the end of Turn 1, Telugu Yoddhas only held a slender 8-5 lead.

However, Telugu Yoddhas hit back with a good defensive performance of their own in Turn 2. Their first batch of Lipun Mukhi, Prasad Patil and Arunk Gunki managed four dream run points. Gunki, in particular, was impressive, spending nearly three minutes on the mat.

However, Gujarat Giants seized back the advantage, sending back the next Telugu Yoddhas batch in no time. The scores, when the innings ended, read 19-12 in favour of the Gujarat Giants.

Telugu Yoddhas needed a big performance in Turn 3 to find their way back into the match, but that did not happen. Gujarat Giants’ first and second defensive batches managed three dream run points combined with Ravi Vasave even managing to remain unconquered.

That meant that the scores were locked 22-22, heading into the final turn, leaving Telugu Yoddhas with a near-impossible task. With Gujarat Giants attackers putting up a dominating show in Turn 4, the match ended in a comfortable victory for them.

On Tuesday, Odisha Juggernauts will take on Mumbai Khiladis while Chennai Quick Guns meet Gujarat Giants in the final round of group games.