Can Nitin Kumar Lead Jaipur Pink Panthers to Redemption?

Visakhapatnam, Sep 9 (NationPress) It was a moment of triumph for Nitin Kumar, whose 15 points propelled the Jaipur Pink Panthers to victory in a tie-breaker – their second of the season – against the Gujarat Giants at Vishwanadh Sports Club in Vizag on Tuesday.

The teams were locked in a 30-30 deadlock before the two-time champions achieved a memorable win in a match that could have easily gone either way.

From the outset, Rakesh Sungroya made his presence felt, scoring for the Gujarat Giants with a two-point raid. The Jaipur Pink Panthers quickly retaliated through Ali Samadi and a tackle by Deepanshu Khatri, keeping the score tied at 6-6.

Rakesh maintained his impressive performance, executing a Super Raid to give the Gujarat Giants a 9-7 lead after the first quarter. However, as the Giants appeared to be gaining the upper hand, Nitin Kumar countered for the Jaipur Pink Panthers with a Super Raid, leveling the score at 11-11.

The two-time champions then took the lead with Nitin Kumar's precise attacking skills, establishing a three-point advantage. But the momentum shifted once again when Nitin Panwar of the Gujarat Giants executed a Super Tackle, regaining a slight lead at 16-15 by halftime.

The Gujarat Giants carried their momentum into the second half, with Aryavardhan Navale scoring on a raid and Nitin Panwar following up with a tackle. Deepanshu responded for the Pink Panthers by bringing down Rakesh, keeping his team within reach.

After a yellow card to Himanshu Jaglan provided the Pink Panthers with a critical opportunity, they capitalized with an ALL OUT on the Giants, stretching their lead to four points. Heading into the final quarter, Nitin Kumar secured his Super 10, maintaining control at 25-21.

However, the Giants saved their best for last. Nitin Panwar and Aryavardhan chipped away at the deficit before Rakesh equalized at 25-25 with less than five minutes to go. Shadloui then made an impact, scoring his first point of the night with a tackle on Sahil, shifting the momentum toward the Giants.

Rakesh concluded his Super 10 with a pivotal two-point raid, inflicting an ALL OUT and putting the Giants four points ahead. Nevertheless, Nitin Kumar responded fiercely, narrowing the gap to a single point as the final raid approached, setting up a thrilling conclusion and leading to a tie-breaker – the fifth of the season.

The teams exchanged blows in the tie-breaker until Shadloui gave the Gujarat Giants a slight edge with a critical tackle on Deepanshu. Yet, Aryan Kumar turned the tide with a crucial late tackle, forcing a Golden Raid and keeping the Pink Panthers in contention. Ultimately, it was a moment of vindication for Nitin Kumar, who held his composure to secure a stunning victory for the two-time champions.