Gujarat Giants snap five-game skid with 33-27 win over UP Yoddhas

Gujarat Giants ended a five-match losing streak with a 33-27 victory over UP Yoddhas on Monday night at the SDAT Multipurpose Indoor Stadium in Chennai, handing the Giants a rare win in a difficult Pro Kabaddi League campaign and halting the Yoddhas' bid for a third consecutive victory. The match was the opening fixture of the Chennai leg and finished with Gujarat in front after a strong second-quarter surge.

The Giants built a lead before halftime and maintained control through the second half. Gujarat led 21-16 at the interval after key contributions from allrounder Mohammadreza Shadloui and defender Ankit Dahiya. Rakesh produced a decisive Super Raid that shifted momentum, and Shadloui executed a powerful raid just before the first timeout to inflict an all out on the Yoddhas, extending Gujarat's advantage.

UP struck first and held brief leads during the opening stages, with Bhavani Rajput and Gagan Gowda providing steady raids. Bhavani later delivered a Super Raid of his own to cut the deficit and keep the Yoddhas in contention. However, Gujarat’s combination of composed raiding and timely tackling repeatedly stifled UP’s momentum. In the closing minutes, Ankit Dahiya’s...