In the match between UP Yoddhas vs Bengaluru Bulls in PKL Season 12, there were plenty of momentum changes, individual brilliance, and even a tie-breaker finish. Played at the SMS Indoor Stadium in Jaipur, it was the first match of the season to finish in a tie-breaker as UP Yoddhas defeated Bulls 6-5 in the closing seconds.
First Half: Bulls Take Early Control, But Yoddhas Stage A Comeback
The game began at a fast pace which saw Gagan Gowda scoring the Yoddhas’ first points. A short time later, the Iranian superstar raider Alireza Mirzaian, the Bengaluru Bulls, not only evened things up, but he even gave the Bulls a slight lead.
Bulls’ Early Control:
Score at 10-minute mark: Bulls 8-5 ahead.
Defensive strength: Bengaluru’s defence remained rock-solid, checking Yoddhas’ momentum.
The Bulls took advantage further by causing an ALL OUT following a successful raid by Mirzaian, taking the lead 15-7. But the Yoddhas were not done yet.
Yoddhas’ Comeback Starts:
Shivam Chaudhary and Bhavani Rajput returned for the side.
Yoddhas limited the gap, resulting in an ALL OUT of their own, at halftime, they trailed by a point (19-20).
Second Half: Yoddhas Gain Command, Bulls Stage a Comeback
In the second half, the UP Yoddhas showed a lot of commitment and quickly leveled the scores to 20-20, scoring good points with solid defence. The game just seemed to hover back and forth between the two teams while points were being scored at both ends in a closely-fought match.
UP Yoddhas vs Bengaluru Bulls Key Moments
Bhavani Rajput’s raid put the Yoddhas on top by 27-24.
Yoddhas inflicted yet another ALL OUT to widen the gap to 31-26.
Sumit’s powerful tackle took the lead further as Yoddhas were in charge at 34-30.
There was less than a minute left when Rajput finished his Super 10, and the Yoddhas were four points ahead.
Alireza Mirzaian’s Last-Second Magic Forces Tie-Breaker
When the game was seemingly drifting away from Bengaluru, Alireza Mirzaian came up with one of the most thrilling moments of the season. His super raid in the last seconds took the score to 36-36, pushing the match into a tie-breaker.
Tie-Breaker Thriller: Yoddhas Show Steel Nerves
The tie-breaker between UP Yoddhas and Bengaluru Bulls was as nail-biting as the regular time. The two sides were neck-and-neck, taking points from each other in quick succession.
A Crucial Play in Tie-Breaker:
Yoddhas took the first point; Bulls quickly replied: 1-1.
Teams exchanged blows to bring it back to 3-3.
UP Yoddhas took a lead to 5-3 with an intelligent raid and firm tackle.
Bulls closed the gap, but Yoddhas clung to a 6-5 victory.
This was the first tie-breaker of PKL Season 12, and it set the bar very high for the remaining tournament.
Standout Performers
Alireza Mirzaian (Bengaluru Bulls): Registered a Super 10, almost took his team to a win with a super raid in the last second.
Bhavani Rajput (UP Yoddhas): Also registered a Super 10, was highly important in raids throughout.
Sumit (Yoddhas): Produced a game-changing tackle in the second half.
Upcoming Matches – PKL Season 12, September 27
Patna Pirates vs Bengal Warriorz
Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Tamil Thalaivas
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