The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, JAN 02, 2024
Lightning struck twice at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack on Tuesday as Chennai Quick Guns and Odisha Juggernauts played out an exciting 30-30 tie in Ultimate Kho Kho Season 2. The reverse fixture between these two teams had also ended in a tie.
League leaders Chennai Quick Guns missed out on the chance to consolidate their position atop the table despite star man Ramji Kashyap once again putting up a brilliant defensive performance.
Odisha Juggernauts’ decision to attack, after winning the toss, backfired with Chennai Quick Guns managing three dream run points in Turn 1. Laxman Gawas, from the first batch, dodged the Odisha Juggernauts attackers long enough to garner two dream run points. Then, star all-rounder Ramji Kashyap stayed unconquered, earning his thirteenth dream run point of the season.
Things went from bad to worse for Odisha Juggernauts after their first batch was dismissed without much time spent on the mat. Then Nikhil B single-handedly dragged the Odisha outfit back into the match. He earned his team three dream run points. The match, as it headed into the second innings, was evenly poised with the Chennai Quick Guns leading 15-13.
The match tilted firmly in Odisha Juggernauts’ favour in Turn 3 as their attackers sent the first two Chennai Quick Guns batches back, with almost three-and-a-half seconds left on the clock. Ramji, then, managed his customary dream run point, leaving his team’s attackers with the task of making up a 13-point gap in the final turn.
That quest started well enough with Chennai Quick Guns managing to send back the Odisha outfits first batch with enough time on the clock. However, Rohan Singade frustrated the Chennai Quick Guns attackers, earning a vital bonus point for his team.
Wednesday will see Mumbai Khiladis take on Telugu Yoddhas in the first game. Win-less Rajasthan Warriors will face Odisha Juggernauts in the second game.
Ultimate Kho Kho, promoted by Amit Burman in collaboration with the Kho Kho Federation of India, became the first Indian sports league to secure Series A funding, courtesy the UK-based BNP Group.
