Gujarat Giant kick start their Pro Kabaddi League 2021 season on a high with a 34-27 win against Jaipur Pink Panthers here on Thursday. Gujarat's new recruit Girish Ernak scored seven tackle points and he was well assisted by Parvesh Bhainswal, who scored 4 tackle points.
Jaipur didn't have the raiding strength against a well-oiled Gujarat defence but will take positives from a tactically-fought match. The match started as expected with both defences thwarting the raiders.
The first 10 minutes of the match saw no multi-points raids despite both sets of raiders struggling to make an impact.
The first momentum shift of the match came courtesy a brilliant tackle by Gujarat's left corner Girish, who pinned Nitish Narwal on the floor from a seemingly difficult angle.
Riding on the energy, Rakesh clinched a two-point raid to inflict the first "all out' on the Pink Panthers in the 10th minute to make the scores 13-17 in Gujarat's favour. But Pink Panther quickly clawed their way back into the match, with new recruit Arjun Deshwal impressing in the raids.
Gujarat's Rakesh missed a bonus point in a 'do-or-die' raid and that handed the advantage to the Panthers. Jaipur capitalised to get their first all-out with two minutes to half time and reduced Gujarat's lead to just one point.
The first half ended with Gujarat in the lead at 19-17. They maintained the intensity in the second half to log home full points.
With inputs from PTI
