KCL: Karnal Kings' defence shines in 35-21 win against Sonipat Stars

Karnal (Haryana) [India], January 27 : Karnal Kings delivered a composed and disciplined performance to defeat Sonipat Stars 35-21 in their Kabaddi Champions League (KCL) encounter at the Sports University of Haryana here on Tuesday.
Vice Chancellor of Sports University of Haryana and former DGP of Uttarakhand Police, IPS Ashok Kumar, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, according to a release.
Karnal Kings made an assured start, with ace raider Surender Gill opening the proceedings. The early phase saw strong defensive efforts from both sides, with do-or-die raids being neutralised as the score stayed level at 1-1,
Karnal gradually gained control through tighter defence, opening up a 4-8 lead in the opening five minutes.
Despite Sonipat's Harsh and Karnal's Surender Gill both registering successful raids before the first strategic time-out, Karnal maintained the upper hand at 9-7. The second quarter proved decisive, as raiding opportunities remained scarce amid intense defensive pressure. A late super raid by Surender Gill reduced Sonipat to an all-out, pushing Karnal into a commanding 18-9 lead. The absence of star raider Ayan Lochab was evident for Sonipat in the first half, as Karnal closed the half strongly at 20-10.
The second half began with Karnal continuing their dominance, extending the lead as Sonipat struggled to convert raids. A brief resurgence came when Ayan Lochab entered as a substitute, making an immediate impact with successful raids that brought the crowd to life and reduced the deficit slightly. However, Karnal quickly regrouped, with Sachin and Akshit producing crucial defensive and raiding efforts to halt Sonipat's momentum.
Karnal's defence remained resolute in the closing stages, earning multiple high-fives and controlling the tempo. Despite late efforts from Sonipat, Karnal Kings saw out the contest comfortably, finishing with a 35-21 victory.
The post-match presence saw Akshit of the Karnal Kings shine as the raider of the match, while the Defender of the match went to Harsh of Karnal Kings.