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The inaugural season of the Uttar Pradesh Kabaddi League (UPKL) 2024 is reaching its climax, with the Lucknow Lions and the Sangam Challengers emerging as the finalists. The tournament, hosted at the Noida Indoor Stadium, is all set to witness an exciting final on July 25.
In the semi-finals, the Lucknow Lions defeated the Yamuna Yodhas comfortably 35-21 to make it into the final. Arjun Deshwal, a superstar in Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) for the Jaipur Pink Panthers, showed promise in UPKL as well. He secured a Super 10 in the top-four clash and clinched two tackle points as well to help the Lions emerge victorious. On the defensive front, Nitin Panwar secured a High 5 with five tackle points.
The Sangam Challengers faced a tougher contest against the Kashi Kings in their semi-final match but ultimately triumphed with a 39-32 win. The first half ended with a close 16-14 score, but the Challengers maintained their composure in the second half to seal the victory.
Abhijeet Malik was the star raider, scoring 17 raid points, including two Super Raids. Bhanu Pratap supported him with nine raid points. Although the defense was not their strongest suit, Mayank Malik led with three tackle points.
What to expect from the UPKL 2024 final?
The Lucknow Lions have been dominant throughout the tournament, finishing at the top of the league standings with 11 wins in 13 games before the semifinals. Their performance has been formidable, both in offense and defense. They lead the league in raid points (326) and tackle points (173). Additionally, they have the most Super Raids (11) and have inflicted the most all-outs (31).
In contrast, the Sangam Challengers, who finished second with nine wins in 13 games, have shown strong raiding capabilities, ranking third in raid points with 300. However, their defense has been less impressive, with only 120 tackle points, placing them sixth in this aspect.
