Yuva Kabaddi Series: One-sided games mark the opening day of Division 1 

Coimbatore, Jan 3 (IANS) Sonipat Spartans, Kurukshetra Warriors, Chennai Tamizhans and Palani Tuskers emerged victorious in four one-sided matches on the opening day as the highly-anticipated Division 1 of the 11th Yuva Kabaddi Series kicked off in style at the Karpagam Academy of Higher Education here on Friday. 

The day's action began with a high-scoring encounter between Sonipat Spartans and Murthal Magnets in which Sonipat emerged victorious with a commanding 52-40 win.

Ankit Saharwa was the star for Sonipat, coming off the bench to score 18 raid points. The Spartans’ defense also played a crucial role, with Rahul Ahri and Mohit Kuldeep both securing four tackle points each. Despite a valiant effort from Murthal, led by Umesh Panwar’s 14 raid points and Vijay Kumar’s four tackle points, they couldn’t close the gap.

Next up, Kurukshetra Warriors claimed a comfortable 46-35 victory over Aravalli Arrows. Ankit Dahiya’s all-round performance was the highlight, as he contributed seven raid points and three tackle points. Deepanshu Khatri shone in defense, registering a High 5. Vishnu Sharma’s nine raid points were the only bright spot for the Arrows, while Deepak Choudhary also earned a High 5 in defense, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Warriors from clinching the win.

The third match saw Chennai Tamizhans overpower Jaipur Thunders 38-26. Thirukumaran Murugan’s all-round performance, which included eight raid points and two tackle points, was key to Chennai’s success. Sanjay Rajan and Ajay Muthaiya both achieved High 5s in defense, adding to the team’s overall dominance. Jaipur struggled to get going, with Nakul Saini’s five raid points being their top performance of the match.

In the final game of the day, Palani Tuskers defeated Karpagam Raiders 57-20 in an emphatic fashion. Vishva Asalavan led the charge for Palani with 13 raid points, with solid contributions from his teammates. For Karpagam, Selvakumar Murugan was the lone bright spot, top-scoring with six raid points, but it was a largely one-sided affair as Palani cruised to a comfortable win.

--IANS

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