Welcome to Sportstar's coverage of the Pro Kabaddi League. This is Shyam Vasudevan and I will be taking you through today's PKL 8 match between Bengaluru Bulls and Gujarat Giants.
That brings us to the end of our Pro Kabaddi League coverage for the day. We will be back tomorrow. See you then!
Meanwhile, you can also check out our Kings of Kabaddi series from PKL 7 - a happier time pre-COVID when we got to physically sit down with some of the biggest names in the league and hear their stories. You can check out all episodes here:
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Gujarat Giants will jump to the ninth spot as the side secures a commanding 40-36 win over season six champion Bengaluru Bulls. Bengaluru Bulls was the favourite coming into the game but the side's defence had a poor outing yet again, while the Gujarat Giants raiders ran amok.
Pardeep Kumar starred for the Giants with 14 points, while captain Sunil Kumar brought up his second High-5 of the season. Parvesh Bhainswal picked up four points while raider Ajay Kumar collected eight points.
Both of Bengaluru Bulls raiders Pawan Sehrawat and Bharat Naresh bagged Super 10s, 12 and 11 points respectively, but the defence was unable to support them.
The result leaves the Bulls in a spot of bother. While it remains on the third spot, the side has played at least two games more than all the teams trailing it and is in danger of losing a play-off berth.
FULL-TIME! Gujarat Giants beats Bengaluru Bulls 40-36.
36-40 That's the game. Pardeep outfoxes the Bengaluru Bulls defence once again as he bags two more points, including Pawan and GB More.
36-38 Pawan once again asks Bharat to raid and the youngster has no luck this time around. Perhaps Pawan should have gone on the raid.
36-37 SUPER 10 for Pardeep ! He picks up a massive two-point raid to put his side ahead.
36-35 Bharat does extremely well to wriggle out of Girish's tackle. Fourty-five seconds to go!
35-35 ALL OUT! Pawan tags the last Gujarat Giants player and we're back on level terms. Just over a minute to go!
32-35 It's one point for each team as Pardeep forces Aman off the mat and then gets tackled. Gujarat Giants delays the All Out as a player will be revived now. What a massive moment in the game!
31-33 PAWAN WITH A TWO-POINT RAID! The Bengaluru Bulls captain gets a running hand touch on Girish and then evades Parvesh's dash. Gujarat Giants is down to one man again! SUPER 10 for Pawan!
29-33 THREE POINTS FOR PARDEEEP! Oh my, that's just horrendous from the Bulls defence. Pardeep's pace has the defence scampering for cover and the right corner right cover cross the back-line!
29-30 Pawan takes care of a defender and the Giants are down to one last man - Pardeep.
28-30 Bengaluru Bulls is back in the game! Aman traps Ajay with a double ankle hold.
27-30 TWO POINTS FOR BHARAT! The Bulls rader comes up with a sensational raid as he tags Sunil on the left and the leaps above an onrushing Ankit. It's a three-point game with as many minutes to go!
25-30 Parvesh makes a rare mistake. He gives Bharat the easiest of points.
24-29 Not sure what Girish was going for there. He attempts a back hold on Bharat, who not only escapes but also grab a bonus point.
22-29 Another poor tackle and another easy point for Ajay. Saurabh launches into a weak tackle and it's of no use.
21-28 Bengaluru Bulls coach Randhir has his head in his hands and rightfully so! Ankit makes a very late tackle and fails to stop Ajay.
20-27 Aman errs this time with a tentative ankle hold on Ajay, who skips away to safety.
20-26 ALL OUT! Gujarat Giants has inflicted the All Out and now has a six-point lead with a little over eight minuets to go.
19-23 Pardeep gets the better of Pawan - when have we heard that before? Aman is the last Bulls player on the mat now.
19-22 Pawan picks up a bonus but that won't be enough - the Bulls are down to two men!
18-21 That's just poor work from Gujarat Giants. Aman, the Bulls' left corner, raids and Amit steps off the mat!
17-21 Pardeep Kumar scores when it matters the most as he picks up a crucial two-point raid.
Pawan has been kept off the mat for nearly 13 minutes of the 27 minutes that have been played.
17-19 Yet again, Bharat has his back turned to Sunil and the latter executes a perfect back hold.
17-18 Bengaluru Bulls' four-man defence comes good as Saurabh pounces on Ajay to pin him pin the mat.
This is only Sunil's second High-5 of the season!
16-18 HIGH-5 FOR SUNIL! Deepak Narwal has been called up from the bench for the do-or-die raid, but he has no success. He falls prey to a fine ankle hold from Sunil.
16-17 Aman picks up another tackle point as he traps Rakesh in one of his famous ankle holds.
15-17 Sunil comes to the fore yet again as he does extremely well to flatten Pawan.
15-16 Do-or-die raid for Gujarat Giants and Pardeep has been entrusted with the task. He targets the left corner but Aman has the last laugh with a strong ankle hold.
14-16 That's a massive tackle from Sunil! He charges from the right and spears Bharat off the mat.
HALF-TIME! Gujarat Giants has a slender one-point lead at the interval. The Giants lead 15-14.
14-14 SUPER RAID FROM PAWAN! He jumps over the right cover and then ducks under Girish and Rakesh to bag thee massive points. Scores are level!
11-14 Jaideep has just come off the bench and makes a half-hearted attempt on Ajay. The pressure was clearly on Ajay, who came on for the d o-or-die raid, and he goes back with an easy point.
11-13 Pardeep makes a mistake here as he strangely gets involved in a tackle and gives away a needless point.
10-13 SUPER RAID! My word, Pardeep simply bulldozes his way past three defenders to propel his side into the lead. The Bulls are now down to three men!
10-10SUPER TACKLE! Pawan has been taken out in a Super Tackle scenario for the second time as Sunil makes a diving double ankle hold.
10-7 Rakesh comes off the bench for the d o-or-die raid. He made three attempts at the bonus line but to no avail!
9-7 That's just silly from Rathan. He makes a hasty challenge on Bharat and the Bulls raider easily gets past the mid-line. Pawan will be back on the mat now!
8-7 Bharat brings up his first point of the game as he gets a fine running hand touch on Ajay.
6-7 That was desperation from Pawan in the d o-or-die raid. He steps into the lobbies and hopes someone will follow him, but the Giants say nothing doing. Pawan walks right back to the bench.
6-6 That's a solid tackle from Mohit to trap Pardeep. That will revive Pawan!
5-6 Do-or-die raid for the Giants and Pardeep delivers with a touch on Aman in the left corner.
5-5 Parvesh is at it again as he makes a fine dash and restricts Bharat on the mat. Superb turnaround from the Giants!
5-4 SUPER TACKLE! Pawan has a chance to inflict further misery on the Giants but gets taken out by Parvesh's iron-clad ankle hold.
5-2 Now that's what you call a tackle! GB More pounces on Ajay to open his tally for the evening.
3-2 Now that's a rather unnecessary tackle from Pawan! He has no need to make the tackle there gives away an easy point to Ajay.
3-1 Pawan now gets rid of the left corner and extends his side's lead.
2-0 Pawan bags two points off his first raid as he kicks Mahendra in the face and gets a touch on Girish! Ouch!
Gujarat Giants won the toss and chose the left side of the court, Bengaluru Bulls will raid first.
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8:40pm: TEAM NEWS!
Bengaluru Bulls: Pawan Sehrawat, Mohit Sehrawat, Ankit, Bharat, GB More, Saurabh Nandal, Aman
Gujarat Giants: Sunil Kumar, Mahendra Rajput, Parvesh Bhainswal, Ankit, Pardeep Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Girish Ernak
8:35pm: Gujarat Giants succumbed to a massive 20-point loss to Patna Pirates in its last game. The Giants were outscored 25-7 in the second half and managed only three tackle and three raid points in 20 minutes. Placed 11th, the side is in dire need of victories to maintain its fading playoff hopes.
8:30pm: Bengaluru Bulls missed its chance to leapfrog Dabang Delhi on the points table after the teams played out a 36-36 tie in the last game. Pawan Sehrawat delivered another special performance and finished the game with 17 points. While the defence managed to pick up nine tackle points, it also gave away 21 raid points.
8:20pm: Patna Pirates is closing in on its third straight win! Follow its game against Bengal Warriors here -
8 :10pm: In case if you're new to this sport, here's a simple explainer that covers all the rules of the game and the various terms such as 'All Out', 'Do-or-die' and 'Super Tackle'-
8:00pm: Good evening and welcome to the second game of the evening! We've got a mouth-watering clash ahead Bengaluru Bulls takes on Gujarat Giants. But before that, here's a recap of what happened last night in the PKL over the last fortnight-
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