The thrilling arm-westling action of inaugural edition of Pro Panja League continued with Kochi KD's and Kiraak Hyderabad showcasing their dominance and picking up crucial wins.
The event was graced by Olympic medalist and Member of Parliament Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.
"I want to congratulate Parvin Dabas and Preeti Jhangiani for a successful launch of Pro Panja League. I also congratulate all the athletes. The work being done to promote and give recognition to all the armwrestlers by bringing them to an international stage is tremendous. I hope, India continue to win in every competition across the world under the leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.
To kick off the action, Bimla Rawat and Asif Ahemad gave Kochi KD's an early 2-1 lead over Mumbai Muscle in the undercard. Kochi's Rudra Naik set up the game for his side against Ludhiana Lions with a decisive win over Mumbai Muscle's entertainer Jatish Mahajan in 60kg bout. The number-two seed in his category, Rudra tested Jatish in first two rounds, before using Challenger Round to get a 10-0 win. Next up, Abhirami P K from Kochi stunned Mumbai's Ardhra Suresh with top roll pin in 55kg bout and earned a clean sweep win.
In the final bout, Chandan Kumar Behera pinned Santosh Gupta in straight rounds, in the Specially-abled category to give Mumbai a win. Using Challenger Round, Chandan earned a 10-0 win, but Kochi won the match 17-11.
In the second match of the night, Butta Singh, Madhura KN and Shoaib Akhtar won their undercard bouts to give Kiraak Hyderabad 3-0 lead over Ludhiana Lions. Kiraak's Satnam Singh challenged Ludhiana's Sanu Joy in the 70kg category bout in the main card. Using smart wrist movement, Sanu single-handedly turned the tide of the game, winning the bout 10-0 to give his side the lead.
Kiraak's Madhura came on yet again and pinned Ludhiana's Aparna Roshith via top roll to continue her dominance in 65kg category. Using challenger round to her advantage, Madhura again shifted momentum back to Kiraak's corner, and continued her unbeaten streak in Pro Panja League. Ludhiana sent Sachin Bhadoria against Kiraak's Jagadish Baruah for 100kg bout. The latter completely dominated the bout to get a clean sweep win and earned 5-0 victory, helping Kiraak Hyderabad pick 18-10 win, and climb to top of the table.
Mumbai Muscle will take on Baroda Badshahs and Kochi KD's will face off against Rohtak Rowdies on Saturday.
Former India captain MS Dhoni inducted into ICC Hall of Fame
Legendary Indian wicketkeeper-batter and former captain MS Dhoni has been inducted into the prestigious ICC Hall of Fame, marking another glorious chapter in his storied cricket career.
Police complaint lodged against Virat Kohli over Bengaluru stampede tragedy
A police complaint has been lodged against cricketer Virat Kohli on Friday in Bengaluru in connection with the stampede near Chinnaswamy Stadium during a felicitation programme for RCB, which claimed 11 lives.
New FBM rule introduced as over 500 kabaddi players set to go under the hammer in PKL 12 auction
Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 12 player auction, set to take place on May 31 and June 1 with top Indian and international kabaddi stars going under the hammer, sees exciting changes, including an updated Final Bid Match (FBM) rule and features a star-studded player pool with over 500 athletes available for bidding.
Hockey India names 24-member men's team for FIH Hockey Pro League European leg
Hockey India on Thursday announced the 24-member Indian men’s team for the European leg of FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25, which is scheduled to take place in Amstelveen, the Netherlands and Antwerp, Belgium from June 7 to 22.
IPL 2025 suspended for one week, new schedule and venues to be announced in due course: BCCI
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that the IPL 2025 has been suspended with immediate effect, albeit for one week in the wake of the India-Pakistan border tensions.
IPL 2025 suspended indefinitely, BCCI cites national interest: Sources
Amid the escalating military conflict between India and Pakistan, the BCCI has decided to suspend the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season indefinitely in an emergency meeting on Friday, sources told IANS.
IPL 2025: Match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals called off in Dharamshala
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals has been called off at the HPCA Stadium on Thursday as a precautionary measure, said IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal
Sudirman Cup Finals: Dhruv-Tanisha impress, Sindhu loses as India lose to Indonesia
The rising mixed doubles combination of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto showcased their prowess with a come-from-behind win to give the team a strong start, but India could not avoid a 1-4 loss against Indonesia in their second Group D match in the BWF Sudirman Cup Finals 2025 here on Tuesday.