Pro Kabaddi League: Bengaluru Bulls hold Telugu Titans to a draw

Telgu Titans player in one of his raid jumps to touch the opponent Bengaluru Bulls defender

16th August 2014, Vizag: The Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League has been synonymous with packed stadiums and energetic audiences, and the Rajiv Gandhi indoor stadium nestled within the plush Port Council Sports Complex certainly lived up to expectations. In what has to arguably be the most interactive fan experience on the calendar yet, the Telugu Titans went all out in a bid to capture the imagination of the port city.

In addition to the standard DJ and local MC’s keeping the crowds going, there was also an interactive fan station setup where contests were held to keep the early birds entertained. The icing on the cake however was provided by a giant television screen deployed and set up on the beaches of Vizag for all those fans that couldn’t make it to the stadium. It was a move that will undoubtedly go a long way in driving the sport deeper into the region and into the hearts of its people.

The first match on the night featured 4th-placed Bengaluru Bulls and the home favourites Telugu Titans who were coming into their first home game in a lowly 6th place. A win for the Bulls would help them leapfrog both the Patna Pirates and the Pink Panthers into a temporary second place. The Titans however needed the win if they had any chance of mounting a serious challenge toward booking a slot in the play-offs.

The match began and within seconds the thousands of fans who had flocked to the venue were sent into a tizzy when Rahul Choudhari tagged out Dharmaraj Cherlathan of the Bengaluru Bulls. He seemed a player who enjoyed the fans’ love and it was evident from the outset that his movement was slick and his footwork lighter and quicker than it was when they last played Pune on the 12th. Maybe it was the effect of the four-day rest break or perhaps it was the thunderous ovation he was given everytime he stepped into opposition territory.

The first half was very tight, with largely only a single point separating the two outfits. This clearly wasn’t a typical top of the table versus a bottom of the table clash, the Titans surrendered no quarter and overall looked more of a complete unit.

The highlight of the first half however came from a sensational piece of team-work from the Bulls, when Cherlathan and Rajesh Mondal stopped Sukesh Hegde just as he was reaching the line, lifting him up over the reach of the boundary and dragging him back into their half, a move roundly appreciated by thousands in the stands too.

This clearly didn’t go down well with the Titans who decided to shift gears. The turning point in the half came from some wonderful work from Rahul Choudhari who dispatched Ajay Thakur – Bengaluru’s star raider and highest point scorer. Once the dent was made, the Titans seized the opportunity and in a series of highly explosive moves soon reduced the Bulls to just 3 players and moved into a 5 point lead. By the lemon break the Titans led the Bulls 13-8.

The beginning of the second half saw some gritty work by the Bulls to bring back two points and bring on Ajay Thakur, but the Titans just wouldn’t let up on the pressure. They defended high up the field thus cutting out the opportunity for the Bulls to score any bonus points. Soon they were reduced to a lone Ajay Thakur and although he did commendably well to revive Skipper Manjit Chillar, he was soon sent back again through some very potent raiding by Rahul.

The perseverance of this Bengaluru team was just wonderful to watch. Having played a large chunk of the second half with more than half the team on the bench, they found a way to draw themselves level, before their resolve was finally broken in the 29th minute and the Titans put up their first LONA points on the night. This also marked the second time that the Titans had established a clear 5 point lead, and now it was merely a question of whether they could hold on to it or not.

As the half wore on the Titans found themselves in a similar position to the one that the Bulls were in earlier in the half.

They entered the final 5 minutes with a slender 1 point lead and only 4 players on the court. However, for the second time in the match the Bulls fought their way back and finished the match level on points with the Titans.

The Titans had yet again lost the match from a winning position, as it ended 28 all.