Jaipur, Jan 14 (IANS): Despite Pardeep Narwal's impressive 16 points, the collective teamwork of the Bengal Warriors proved superior, leading to UP Yoddhas enduring their fifth consecutive loss with a 42-37 defeat at the Sawai Mansingh Indoor Stadium on Saturday.
The contest was billed as a raider's paradise, and it lived up to expectations from the start, especially with Maninder Singh displaying a strong desire to dominate the game. The Bengal Warriors' raider secured an impressive 9 points in the opening half without facing a single tackle. However, he wasn't the sole contributor to the scoring spree.
On the opposing side, Pardeep his counterpart, managed to gather 7 points in the same half, ensuring his team stayed competitive.
The key factor lay in the Bengal Warriors' advantage of additional raiders contributing points and a solid defense that accumulated 4 points compared to the UP Yoddhas' one. This strategic edge allowed the Bengal Warriors to execute the first All out, and they entered the halftime with a substantial and comfortable lead.
The Yoddhas initiated the second half with an intense pace, managing to execute an All-out within three minutes, narrowing the deficit to 20-24. However, the Warriors showed resilience and were not willing to surrender. They steadily regrouped, piecing together their game to re-establish and extend their lead.
Narwal was working overtime to reduce the deficit almost on his own, with the rest of the team failing to back up his performance. His relentless raiding though helped Yoddhas inflict a second All out reducing the deficit to three points with under 2 minutes to play.
Ultimately, the Warriors maintained their composure and tactically managed the clock, securing a thoroughly deserved victory.