Pune: Odisha Juggernauts were crowned champions in the inaugural Ultimate Kho Kho League at Pune’s Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex on Sunday evening.
In a nail-biting final, the Juggernauts snatched victory with 14 seconds left on the clock. Trailing 43-45, the Juggernauts earned three crucial points, as Suraj Lande captured Avdhut Patil with a sensational sky dive captured, to pip Telugu Yoddhas 46-45.
In a fiercely-contested final, fortunes fluctuated rapidly.
The two teams were tied at 10-10 at the end of first turn, before the Juggernauts nosed ahead 23-20 at the halfway stage of the final.
Great attacking play by the Yoddhas saw them jump to a 41-27 advantage after Turn 3.
With nothing to lose, Odisha Juggernauts went all out to close the gap. However, the game seemed to be slipping away from them, till a last-gasp effort saw them pull through in an edge-of-the-seat thriller.
Lande, who tested the defence of Telugu Yoddhas with his stay of 3.03 minutes in the third turn, scored nine points in attack for the Juggernauts. Rohan Shingade secured 11 points for Telugu Yoddhas.
The Juggernauts pocketed a prize purse of Rs 1 crore besides lifting the glittering trophy, while runners-up Telugu Yoddhas earned Rs 50 lakh.
Gujarat Giants finished third, ahead of Chennai Quick Guns, to receive Rs 30 lakh as prize money.
