Rohtak Royals outmuscle Panipat Panthers 43-36 to storm into KCL final

Sonepat (Haryana) [India], February 7 (ANI): Rohtak Royals marched confidently into the finals of the inaugural Kabaddi Champions League following a thrilling 43-36 victory in the second semi-final, played at the Sports University of Haryana, Sonepat.
According to a release, late heroics from Vijay Malik sealed the Royals' victory in the dying moments of the contest, as he emerged as the top scorer for his side with 12 crucial points. Rakesh Singroha also played a pivotal role in the win, contributing 11 points. Milan Dahiya and Sandeep added four points apiece, with Sandeep being adjudged the Best Defender of the Match.
Rohtak Royals, the Adroit Sports LLP-owned kabaddi franchise representing the city of Rohtak, will now face Bhiwani Bulls in the final scheduled for tomorrow, after the Bulls defeated Hisar Heroes in the first semi-final earlier yesterday.
Rohtak Royals drew first blood by pinning down their opponents in the opening minute of the contest. What followed was a neck-and-neck battle, with both teams exchanging points as the score read 4-5 in Panipat's favour by the seventh minute. However, Rohtak soon took charge of the proceedings, with their defenders stepping up to help the Royals take a two-point lead.
By the 10th minute, the Royals were ahead 7-5. Rakesh Singroha then lit up the mat with a stunning display of acrobatic skill, executing the first Super Raid of the match by pinning down three opponents in a single raid. The moment stretched Rohtak's lead to 12-7 by the 13th minute. The excellent camaraderie between the raiders and defenders was evident as the Royals inflicted the first All-Out of the game in the 15th minute, taking the score line to 16-10 in their favour.
The dominant Royals continued to push the Panthers onto the back foot, with Milan Dahiya contributing back-to-back points to help his side maintain a healthy six-point lead at the end of the first half. The teams went into the break with Rohtak leading 21-15, with Rakesh Singroha emerging as the top scorer of the half with seven points.
The Royals began the second half on a high, picking up back-to-back points before Panipat's Meetu pulled his team back into the contest with their first and the match's second Super Raid. The effort narrowed the gap to four points as the scoreboard read 23-19 in the 24th minute, still in favour of the Royals. Despite the pressure, Rohtak remained dominant and never allowed its grip on the game to loosen.
Another all-Out inflicted by the Royals strengthened their position as the score line moved to 35-26 with just eight minutes remaining. The Royals then extended their lead to 10 points before Meetu once again added intrigue with a two-point raid, reducing the deficit to eight. The closing minutes saw a few unforced errors from the Royals, with Rakesh and Aaryan stepping out of bounds while attempting to defend Meetu's raid, cutting the lead to six points with three minutes left on the clock.
The contest turned tense when Panipat capitalised on further mistakes to bring the margin down to just four points with two minutes remaining, pushing the Royals to the brink of an All-Out that could have derailed their march to the final. However, star raider Vijay Malik rose to the occasion, ensuring the Royals avoided an All-Out. His late heroics sealed a thrilling 43-38 victory over the Panipat Panthers, as Rohtak marched confidently into the finals.
Rohtak Royals have partnered with ixigo, John Players, Campus Activewear, Knack Pro Sports and MuscleBlaze as their official Travel, Loungewear, Footwear, Hydration and Nutrition Partners, respectively. (ANI)