Services, along with Karnataka and Punjab registered commanding victories on the second day of the 71st Senior National Kabaddi Championships at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack on Friday.
Led by Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) star Naveen Kumar, Services delivered the most commanding performance of the day in its 70-33 victory over Chhattisgarh. Also boasting the likes of Devank Dalal, the Services build up what would become the highest score of the tournament so far.
Goa managed to edge past Jammu & Kashmir 38-35 in a closely fought encounter, while Rajasthan showcased its prowess in a convincing 61-43 demolition of Jharkhand.
Karnataka demonstrated its might with a clinical 46-26 victory over Uttarakhand, while Punjab dominated Bengal, securing a 49-24 win. Uttar Pradesh controlled its game against Assam, winning 35-19, and Tamil Nadu proved too strong for Pondicherry with a 47-35 victory.
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Defending champion Haryana – which has Ashu Malik at the fore – continued its winning streak, defeating Delhi 39-19 in a Pool A encounter. Railways, maintaining its momentum from day one, overcame Bihar 45-27, while Maharashtra added another win to their tally by defeating Himachal Pradesh 37-24.
In Pool D’s matches, Chandigarh continued it impressive form with a convincing 51-32 win over Madhya Pradesh.
Day two’s most thrilling encounter saw Andhra Pradesh stage a remarkable comeback to pip Gujarat 40-39, providing a fitting finale to an action-packed day.
The results from day’s first half have started to shape the qualification picture across all pools, with teams like Services, Karnataka, Punjab, and Haryana emerging as strong contenders for the knockout stages. As the tournament progresses, the competition is expected to intensify further, with teams fighting for crucial points to secure their passage to the next round.
