As on Sunday, there were two things Bengaluru Bulls had to do to progress to the playoffs. It had to win its last three matches, two versus U.P. Yoddha. And it had to win by a margin of more than seven points in those two matches to ensure the Yoddha scored no point.
BENGALURU BULLS 38 BEAT UP YODDHA 32
That it's a hard task was discernible, going by the Yoddha's latest result. It had, in its last game, thrashed Jaipur Pink Panthers 53-32 as its raider Rishank Devadiga created history - he scored 28 points, the most by a raider in a Pro Kabaddi match.
But as if it was distant to the notion, assured of itself, the Bulls did manage the first of its two wins versus U.P. Yoddha, albeit by a 6-point margin in the first match here on Sunday.
The first half looked as if the Bulls, with the resentful anger of a cast-off child, chose to trash all the talk of Yoddha having the edge. It led 19-9 at half time.
The Yoddha did marginally better in the second half securing 23 points to the Bulls' 19. That helped it secure a playoff spot, by not losing big.
In the second match of the day, Puneri Paltan beat Dabang Delhi KC 34-31 .