With the league stage done and dusted on Friday night, the top four teams confirmed are Lucknow Lions, Sangam Challengers, Kashi Kings, and Brij Stars. In the semifinals, Lucknow Lions will face Brij Stars, while Sangam Challengers will take on Kashi Kings, setting the stage for a high-stakes conclusion to UPKL Season 2.
Awadh Ramdoots scored a commanding 47-33 win over Purvanchal Panthers in the Uttar Pradesh Kabaddi League (UPKL) Season 2 at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Friday evening. With both teams already out of the top four race, the contest was about pride, momentum, and finishing the league stage on a strong note.
The match began cautiously, with both sides testing each other in the opening minutes. Awadh Ramdoots gradually found their rhythm through captain Abhimanyu Raghuvanshi, who consistently troubled the Purvanchal defence with sharp raids. At the other end, Awadh’s defensive unit stepped up with equal authority, producing timely tackles that restricted Purvanchal’s scoring opportunities.
The turning point of the first half came when Awadh Ramdoots tightened their defensive formation and inflicted an all-out on Purvanchal Panthers, opening up a sizeable gap on the scoreboard. Building on that momentum, Awadh continued to apply pressure and forced another all-out before halftime, stretching their advantage to 20 points and taking firm control of the contest.
Purvanchal Panthers showed greater intent after the break and managed to inflict an all-out on Awadh Ramdoots in the second half, briefly raising hopes of a comeback. However, the early damage proved too much to undo. Awadh responded calmly, managing the tempo of the game and ensuring Purvanchal were unable to mount any sustained pressure.
With their raiders continuing to score consistently and the defence holding firm in key moments, Awadh Ramdoots comfortably closed out the match with a 47–33 victory, signing off their league campaign with an emphatic performance.
Sangam Challengers lord it over Ganga Kings
Later in the evening, Sangam Challengers underlined their knockout readiness with a commanding 55–31 win over Ganga Kings of Mirzapur, delivering a ruthless all-round performance. Gautam Singh led the charge with an outstanding 21 raid points, consistently breaching the Ganga defence, while captain Mayank Malik marshalled the backline effectively, contributing seven tackle points. Sangam inflicted three all-outs across the match, maintaining intensity throughout and leaving Ganga unable to build any sustained momentum.
Lucknow Lions decimate Gazab Ghaziabad 87-36
Lucknow Lions produced a historic performance, dismantling Gazab Ghaziabad 87–36 in one of the most dominant displays in professional kabaddi. From the opening exchanges, Lucknow imposed relentless pressure, combining rapid raiding with disciplined defence to force repeated all-outs and deny Gazab any chance of recovery. Shivam Chaudhary delivered a record-shattering individual performance, amassing 44 total points, including 33 raid points and 10 bonus points, as Lucknow rewrote the UPKL record books and stamped their authority heading into the knockouts.
Brij Stars seal playoff berth with a 69-46 win over Aligarh Tigers
In the last game of the day, Brij Stars sealed their playoff berth with a powerful 69–46 win over Aligarh Tigers, approaching the contest with full intensity despite qualification already being assured earlier in the day. After an evenly contested start, Brij’s aggressive raiding and organised defence took control, with Vishal Nirwal starring through 22 raid points. Key all-outs across both halves widened the gap, allowing Brij Stars to finish the league stage with confidence and momentum.
Day 16 also marked a historic moment for the league, as Lucknow Lions’ 87 points became the highest team score of UPKL Season 2, while the 87–36 result set a new record for the highest aggregate score in a single match.
