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The kabaddi crazy fans in Ahmedabad waited for four years to watch their team in action in their city and the Gujarat Giants didn't disappoint. Led by the ferocious Fazel Atrachali and guided by one of the most successful coaches in the Pro Kabaddi League - Ram Mehar Singh, the home team registered three victories in four matches during the just conluded Gujarat Leg of the tournament.
The first leg of the tenth season (December 2-7) witnessed the attendance of several dignitaries including Secretary of the BCCI - Jay Shah, Country Manager & President, Disney Star - K Madhavan, owner of the Jaipur Pink Panthers - Abhishek Bachchan, actor Manoj Bajpayee, Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and Swami Ramdev among others. Under the watchful eyes of the eminent dignitaries, the Gujarat Giants' young raiders Sonu and Rakesh shone in the limelight. Sonu picked up 33 points, while Rakesh recorded 26 points to help the home side complete the Ahmedabad leg at the top of the table with 16 points. Moreover, Sonu and Rakesh received tremendous support from their Captain Fazel Atrachali (8 tackle points) and Sombir (13 tackle points) in the defence unit. Furthermore, Atrachali completed 100 matches as Captain this season and the first leg of this year's edition also witnessed the Hi-Flyer Pawan Sehrawat record his 1000th raid point. The kabaddi lovers in Ahmedabad were served with several high-octane clashes. The Bengal Warriors led at 23-15 in the second half against the Bengaluru Bulls on December 4, however, the Bulls forged a magnificent comeback to make it 28-28 in the 37th minute. But the Warriors held their nerve and emerged triumphant with the scoreline reading 32-30 in the end. U Mumba and Gujarat Giants also played out a riveting contest. They were on level terms going into the dying minutes of the match, however, Sonu stood tall and pulled off a fantastic raid to help his side win the match 39-37 on December 5. Speaking about the very successful Ahmedabad leg as a team and host, Sanjay Adesara, Chief Business Officer (CBO), Adani Sportsline said, "Ahmedabad has absolutely set the trend in terms of how the fans cheer on the teams in the 10th season of the Pro Kabaddi League, and our very own Gujarat Giants have also raised the bar for the performances on the mat. We are delighted to have been the city to kick start this special edition of the tournament, and this week has also helped further popularise Kabaddi in Gujarat, as more and more people have turned their attention to the sport. We would like to wish everyone the very best as the caravan moves to Bangalore. Ahmedabad has well and truly made its presence felt on the big stage yet again, and we look forward to more weeks like this." After six days of dynamic clashes in Ahmedabad, the PKL season 10 will move to the Garden City from December 8. The fans in Bengaluru are all geared up to welcome their team and help them to get on board in PKL season 10 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. The Kannada film superstar Kiccha Sudeep will also grace the stadium with his presence on the opening day of the Bengaluru leg. When asked about PKL returning to Bengaluru, Kirthi Muralikrishnan, CEO, Bengaluru Bulls said, "Bengaluru has always been a sports crazy city and we are certain that the fans will turn up in large numbers to showcase their support for kabaddi. The energy in the stadium is always electric and we can't wait to play in front of our home fans. We are eagerly looking forward to attain the momentum as a team in the Bengaluru leg." Meanwhile, the Head Sports Leagues, Mashal Sports and League Commissioner, Pro Kabaddi League Anupam Goswami said, "We were keen to start the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 in a grand fashion and I would like to thank the people of Ahmedabad in helping us in doing so. The fans in the stadium got behind not just their own team but also all the other teams in action as well. After a successful Ahmedabad leg, we will now look to continue our momentum in Bengaluru." The Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 Bengaluru leg will be played from December 8-13. Thereafter, the league will move in the following order of venues - Pune (December 15-20), Chennai (December 22-27), Noida (December 29, 2023 -January 3, 2024), Mumbai (January 5-10, 2024), Jaipur (January 12-17, 2024), Hyderabad (January 19-24, 2024), Patna ( January 26-31, 2024), Delhi (February 2-7, 2024), Kolkata (February 9-14, 2024) and Panchkula (February16-21). (ANI)
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