Published: January 4, 2026 at 10:05 am
Ganga Kings of Mirzapur and Gazab Ghaziabad secured important victories on Saturday evening to gain momentum and strengthen their positions in the Uttar Pradesh Kabaddi League (UPKL) Season 2 at the Noida Indoor Stadium.
Ganga Kings of Mirzapur registered their second win of the season, defeating Purvanchal Panthers 44–33 after overturning an early deficit. Purvanchal Panthers started aggressively and built a seven-point lead, but Ganga responded by tightening their defence and slowing the tempo. The momentum shifted when Ganga inflicted an all-out, allowing them to head into halftime with a three-point lead.
In the second half, Purvanchal Panthers attempted to fight back, but a three-point super raid by Amit Nagar halted their progress. Ganga followed this up with another all-out, which proved decisive as they extended the lead and closed out the match comfortably. Ganga Kings team president Vedika Trivedi, who was watching the proceedings, was visibly enthusiastic as the team celebrated its second victory of the season.
In the second match, Gazab Ghaziabad defeated Kanpur Warriors 34–29, consolidating their place inside the top four. Gazab seized control through a dominant stretch that included an all-out, a super raid, and another all-out, opening up a 13-point lead. The performance came despite the absence of captain Uday Dabas, who was rested due to discomfort. Aman Rana stepped up in attack, ensuring Gazab maintained control.
Kanpur Warriors mounted a strong comeback in the second half, forcing an all-out and reducing the margin to five points. Gazab Ghaziabad, however, held their nerve in the closing stages, tightening their defence to seal the win.
Catch me if you can: A Kashi Kings raider tries to make inroads in the Lucknow Lions territory.
Brij Stars pull away after key second-half all-outs against JD Noida Ninjas
Brij Stars delivered a composed second-half performance to defeat JD Noida Ninjas 37–23. The match began on a tight note, with JD Noida striking first by inflicting an early all-out to take a narrow lead.
Brij Stars regrouped effectively and turned the contest in the second half by forcing an all-out on JD Noida, a moment that proved decisive. With the momentum firmly in their favour, Brij Stars inflicted another all-out and denied JD Noida any chance of a comeback, pulling away to register a comfortable victory.
Awadh Ramdoots edge out Yamuna Yoddhas after late drama
Awadh Ramdoots prevailed in a high-intensity contest, defeating Yamuna Yoddhas 44–40 in a match marked by multiple momentum swings. Awadh asserted early control by inflicting an all-out within the opening nine minutes and carried a six-point lead into halftime.
Yamuna Yoddhas responded strongly in the second half, levelling the scores within seven minutes of the restart. Awadh then regained momentum to open up a 10-point lead, but Yamuna refused to give up. A crucial super raid by Ritik Sharma resulted in an all-out for Awadh and brought the scores level with just two minutes remaining. Awadh Ramdoots, however, showed composure in the closing moments to pull away and secure the win.
Will he or won’t he succeed?
Arjun Deshwal magic powers Lucknow Lions past Kashi Kings in top-of-the-table clash
The final match of the day saw Lucknow Lions dominate Kashi Kings 48–29 in a high-stakes clash between the top two teams on the table. The match began cautiously before Arjun Deshwal produced two explosive super raids that resulted in all-outs and shifted momentum decisively in Lucknow’s favour.
Lucknow Lions built a substantial lead in the first half and maintained their intensity after the break, inflicting another all-out to extend the margin further. Kashi Kings attempted a response and managed to force an all-out, but the deficit proved too large. Lucknow Lions closed out a commanding victory to remain at the top of the league standings.
