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Perth, Dec 25 (IANS) Kazakhstan will take on Spain in Group C while China will face Brazil in Group E in the first two matches on the opening day of the United Cup, the mixed-gender tennis tournament which will be played concurrently in Perth and Sydney from Friday.

The top season-opening team competition involves 18 teams which have been divided into six groups of three teams each with three groups playing in Perth and the other three in Sydney. The event will involve seven of the world’s Top 10 women and six of the world’s Top 12 men will represent their respective countries in the 2025 United Cup, which will conclude on January 5.

Greece are the third team in Group C while Germany completes the Group E lineup.

Group A comprises the United States, Canada, and Croatia while Group B includes Poland, Czechia, and Norway. Group D will have Italy, France, and Switzerland and will play their matches in Sydney while Great Britain, Australia, and Argentina make up Group F in the prestigious tournament which will start the Australian Open buildup for both men's and women's players.

In the tournament lung-opener, Alexander Shevchenko will start the campaign for Kazakhstan against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain in the men's singles clash before World No. 6 Elena Rybakina takes on Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the women's singles. The two sets of players will team up in the mixed doubles in case the match ends in a 1-1 tie. Spain are without World No.3 Carlos Alcaraz, who won two Grand Slam titles in 2024.

In the second match of the day on Friday, World No. 5 in WTA Rankings, Qinwen Zheng will start China's campaign against World No. 13 Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil while Zhizhen Zhang will take on Thiago Monteiro in the men's singles clash.

The six group toppers and one second-placed team each from Perth and Sydney will make up the eight teams that will form the quarterfinal line-up for the event.

Meanwhile, the American Top 5 stars Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz have wasted little time getting down to business at the United Cup.

Just a few hours after touching down at Perth Airport, the top seeds practiced together at RAC Arena, in pleasant conditions that were many degrees cooler than Monday’s 42-degree temperatures that scorched the city. Both players are looking to bring their hot late-year form into the new season. Gauff won the WTA Finals in Riyadh; Fritz finished runner-up at the ATP Finals in Turin to finish the year at a career-high World No. 4. in the ATP Rankings.

Fritz was a member of the United States championship team at the inaugural United Cup in 2023, which was played under a different format that featured two men’s singles, two women’s singles, and a mixed doubles. Last year the format changed to one men’s singles, one women’s singles, and a mixed doubles.

“I'm looking forward to it,” Fritz said of the tournament, which begins on Friday. “[The format] has changed a bit over the years; the year that we won, we could use our team's depth a lot more to help us. Now a lot more things can go wrong for the favourite team when it's just one [singles] match each and a deciding mixed doubles. So I'm still excited to play. I'm glad that Coco's here this year.”

Gauff, who starts the year as World No. 3, said: “We're both coming off a good year-end. And it'll be our second time playing together. So hopefully, we can do even better than the Olympics.” The United States will wait until Day 3 on Sunday for their opening match, a blockbuster against Canada that will pit Fritz against Felix Auger-Aliassime and Gauff against former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez. The U.S. will play their second group match against Croatia on Day 5, December 31.

--IANS

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Madrid (Spain), Dec 25 (IANS) Kylian Mbappe roared back to form during Real Madrid’s 4-2 win over Sevilla on the weekend. The Frenchman, who has struggled since joining Los Blancos, spoke to president Florentino Perez about his struggles and vowed to bounce back.

According to a report by Spanish outlet Marca, Mbappe assured Perez, who was a long-time advocate and key in bringing the Frenchman to Spain, that he would adapt to the team and make necessary changes.

“No one at Real Madrid will regret my signing,” Mbappe was quoted as saying by Marca.

The 25-year-old remained true to his word as it took him only 10 minutes to score a screamer against the tough opposition. He went on to receive the Man of the Match honour for his impressive performance.

“I can score a lot more, I know I have a lot more to give. The last few games I've played better, I took a lot of positives from the Bilbao game. I missed a penalty and I realised at that moment I had to give my all for this shirt and play with my personality.

“I ask for only good things for all Real Madrid supporters and their families. Good things in my personal life because that's the most important thing. As a player, may it be better than 2024. Many titles, many performances like today's and to enjoy playing for Real Madrid," Mbappe told Real Madrid TV after the game.

The win over Sevilla, and Barcelona’s loss against Atletico, saw the side move past their Catalonian rivals in the La Liga table heading into the winter break. Mbappe has now scored 10 goals in 16 league games and will be instrumental in the side’s domestic and European campaign ahead of the break.

--IANS

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Hyderabad, Dec 25 (IANS) Out of the 36 states and two institutional sides jumping into the fray, eight teams remain in the “City of Pearls,” determined to grab the coveted Santosh Trophy, considered the jewel of the country’s National Football Championship since 1941. With eight teams ready to deliver the knock-out punch on each other, the quarterfinal stage will be played over two days from Thursday.

A meeting between defending champions Services and 2022-23 runners-up Meghalaya is a fascinating battle on the cards. Services, who are aiming to defend the title for the first time since 2015-16, didn't start in the best possible manner as they went down 0-1 to Manipur.

However, three successive and convincing wins put them back on track for the knockout stages. But Monday's defeat to West Bengal threw off that momentum and they had to settle for third place in Group A.

Meghalaya were also a slow starter, drawing with Tamil Nadu and losing to Kerala in the first two games. But they gradually picked up form and beat Delhi and Goa to ensure a quarterfinal spot. After crashing out in the final round group stage last season, it's a much better showing from Hering Shangpliang's side this time around.

A goalless draw with Odisha meant a third consecutive clean sheet for Meghalaya, which suggests a close contest for the fourth and final semifinal spot. That was also the case the last time these two teams met in 2023-24 when Services nicked a 1-0 win thanks to a 95th-minute penalty. Bengal and Odisha, two sides with contrasting fortunes in the ongoing final rounds of the 78th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy will cross swords at the Deccan Arena.

Bengal, the 32-time champions, on paper, appear favourites. While finishing top of Group A with 13 points, they have netted 20 goals in their eight matches in the 78th Santosh Trophy Group Stage and the Final Rounds, but have conceded only one. The one goal they conceded came in their first match of the Final Rounds, a 3-1 victory against Jammu and Kashmir in Group A. The side, coached by Sanjoy Sen, has not conceded a goal for 371 minutes so far. Attacker Robi Hansda currently leads the top scorers’ charts with eight goals to his name in the 2024-25 Santosh Trophy.

Odisha, on the other hand, have managed to scrape through as the fourth-best team in Group B with five points in their kitty and just one win against former champions Goa (2-0). Kartik Hantal has been among the goals for Odisha, having netted five in the competition so far.

The 2002-03 Santosh Trophy Champions, Manipur, have managed to maintain a certain level of consistency while remaining below the general radar so far in the Final Rounds. On the one hand, they left it late in their Group A match to beat bottom side Telangana, while on the other, they have managed positive results against defending champions Services (1-0), and eventual group toppers Bengal (0-0).

Delhi had a great start to their Final Rounds campaign, but seem to have somewhat lost their momentum since a 0-2 defeat at the hands of Meghalaya, which were followed by a defeat against Kerala (0-3), and a stalemate against Goa. In terms of their history, Delhi, who had won their only Santosh Trophy title eight decades ago in 1944. Since then, they have made the quarterfinals and semifinals on several occasions, but could never progress beyond it.

Jammu and Kashmir, who finished fourth in Group A, will face what looks like an uphill task against free-scoring and unbeaten Group B winners Kerala. Seven-time champions, last in 2021-22, Kerala have already scored a staggering 29 goals in eight matches this season. Naseeb Rahman and Muhammad Ajsal, especially, are in prolific form with six goals each.

Apart from West Bengal and Manipur, they are the only remaining unbeaten team. After securing the top spot with a game to spare, head coach Biby Thomas took the opportunity to rotate the squad for the last match against Tamil Nadu on Tuesday and will have the advantage of fresher legs for the quarter-final.

Jammu and Kashmir, playing the final round for the first time since 2015-16, will be happy to have come this far in 2024-25. Unlike Kerala, they only managed to seal their last eight berth on the final matchday with a win over Rajasthan. However, their ability to bounce back from heavy defeats in the first two games against West Bengal and Services has to be appreciated. Although Jammu and Kashmir have conceded just once in their last three games, it remains to be seen how they can keep this offensive Kerala side at bay.

--IANS

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Hyderabad, Dec 25 (IANS) Odisha and Delhi earned the last two quarter-final berths at the 78th Senior Men’s National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy 2024-25 at the Deccan Arena on Tuesday.

Last season's runners-up Goa and Tamil Nadu were eliminated.

In the game between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Nijo Gilbert, fresh off a stellar performance where he assisted every goal in Kerala's last match against Delhi, once again emerged as the saviour for his team. On Tuesday, Gilbert's 89th-minute strike salvaged a point for Kerala, maintaining their unbeaten run in the tournament and eliminating Tamil Nadu from the tournament without a win.

It was Tamil Nadu who started aggressively, pressing forward with vigour and determination. This high-energy approach paid off in the 25th minute when Alexander Romario Jesuraj unleashed a fierce shot that rocketed into the top corner, giving Tamil Nadu a well-deserved lead.

Despite falling behind, Kerala remained composed and gradually worked their way back into the game. Their efforts intensified as the match progressed, and the persistence finally paid off in the 89th minute. A precise cross from the left found Gilbert strategically positioned in the penalty box. Demonstrating remarkable composure and precision, he deftly redirected the ball into the top corner with a first-time half-volley.

Odisha endured a long wait to know their fate after their goalless draw in the morning against Meghalaya. Ultimately, the draw proved enough to qualify for the quarter-finals after Goa and Tamil Nadu failed to win their matches.

Meghalaya, who had already qualified for the quarter-finals, had a conservative strategy, while Odisha also weren't willing to take too many risks early on either. The defences on both ends played a crucial role, effectively neutralising any offensive threats. Opportunities were minimal, and the forwards found little room to manoeuvre.

Roshan Panna of Odisha attempted to inject some dynamism into the game with several spirited efforts to break the deadlock. Despite his endeavors to catalyse his team’s attack, the finishing touch eluded Odisha's front line throughout the match. Time and again, promising attacks fizzled out or were thwarted by Meghalaya's disciplined defence.

Delhi defended valiantly against Goa to eke out a goalless draw. The capital side were reduced to 10 men after captain Milind Negi was sent off for a rough challenge towards the end of the match. Trying to make use of the numerical advantage, Goa piled on numerous attacks. However, Delhi held firm. Their goalkeeper Vansh Kaushal was in top form as he made several saves to keep the Goa attackers at bay. Goa, runners-up to Services last season, too were frustrated throughout the match as their forwards lacked sharpness in front of the goal. Their build up play also lacked the necessary incision that could have troubled the taut Delhi defence.

Kerala, the 2021-22 champions will meet Jammu & Kashmir in the quarter-final on December 27. Tamil Nadu finished at the bottom of Group B with three points. Odisha's draw with Meghalaya in the morning was enough to qualify as the fourth-placed team from the group with five points, as Tamil Nadu and Goa failed to win their matches. Odisha will meet Group A winners West Bengal in the first quarter-final on December 26.

Meghalaya finished in second place with eight points and will face defending champions Services on December 27. Goa could only manage fifth place with five points after being held goalless by Delhi in the last match of the day, Delhi qualified in third place with seven points, and will take on Manipur on December 26.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 24 (IANS) Rashid Khan, Afghanistan's star leg-spinner, will miss the opening Test of the two-match series against Zimbabwe due to personal reasons.

According to a report by CricBuzz, the 26-year-old is scheduled to attend a charity event, and as a result, will not be available for the first Test match on December 26 in Bulawayo. He is expected to join the team for the second Test, which begins on January 2, 2025.

Rashid, who has not played a Test match since March 2021, had been absent from Afghanistan's recent Test series due to injury and rest. Following that, a back injury led to a break from red-ball cricket as advised by his physicians, causing him to miss the national team’s red ball outings. Rashid then missed Afghanistan’s next Test assignments against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ireland due to a combination of rest and injury.

Left-arm spinner Zahir Shehzad and left-arm fast-bowler Bashir Ahmad Afghan have also been added to the team after putting in some impressive performances in the domestic first-class games. The Afghanistan Test squad comprises seven uncapped players, which also includes Azmatullah Omarzai, Fareed Ahmad Malik, and Riaz Hassan.

Nasir Jamal, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, and Ibrahim Abdulrahimzai are the three players who are part of the reserve players pool for the series. Afghanistan has previously won three Test matches, including one against Zimbabwe in 2021.

Afghanistan squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah (VC), Ikram Alikhail (WK), Afsar Zazai (WK), Riaz Hassan, Sediqullah Atal, Abdul Malik, Baheer Shah Mahboob, Ismat Alam, Azmatullah Omarzai, Zahir Khan, Zia Ur Rehman Akbar, Zahir Shehzad, Rashid Khan, Yamin Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad Afghan, Naveed Zadran, and Fareed Ahmad Malik.

--IANS

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Pune, Dec 24 (IANS) The U Mumba have made the PKL Season 11 Playoffs, and taken the fifth spot on the points table, as they swatted away the challenge from Bengal Warriorz, in the Badminton Hall, at the Balewadi Sports Complex on Tuesday.

U Mumba won Match 132 by a scoreline of 36-27, bringing down the curtains on a thoroughly entertaining league phase. For U Mumba, Amirmohammad Zafardanesh got 7 points, while Sunil Kumar got a High-5 and Ajith Chauhan bagged 6 points. For the Bengal Warriorz, Pranay Rane scored 12 points.

The Bengal Warriorz were out of the blocks quicker than the U Mumba in the early exchanges, racing into a slender 2-point lead. But Manjeet and Sunil Kumar responded well, as the U Mumba edged ahead. For the Bengal Warriorz, Pranay Rane was leading the attack while Ajith Chauhan was having a slow start to the game.

Pranay Rane was giving it all in the final game of the season and it was reflecting on the scores, as the U Mumba were back to playing catch up. The U Mumba though were starting to go through the gears, with Ajith Chauhan, Parvesh Bhainswal and Sunil Kumar holding fort. Ajith Chauhan’s flurry of raids propelled U Mumba into a 4-point lead, with 4 minutes to go in the first half. Sunil Kumar then landed an All Out, and the Season 2 champions took charge. At the break, U Mumba led 18-10.

U Mumba, who last made the Playoffs in Season 7, picked up the pace from the get-go in the second half, as Amirmohammad Zafardanesh started things off with a three-point lead. U Mumba were marching on towards the fifth spot on the points table. 7 minutes into the second half, the Bengal Warriorz were on the wrong side of another All Out, which gave the U Mumba a 14-point lead. Meanwhile, Nitesh Kumar had picked up another High-5 for the Bengal Warriorz, and along with Pranay Rane was soldiering on. U Mumba captain Sunil Kumar too had registered another High-5 by the half-hour mark.

Shortly after, Pranay Rane got to his Super 10 and that was followed by an All Out on the U Mumba. The Bengal Warriorz were threatening to make a comeback, and with just under 7 minutes to go, faced a 7-point deficit. Pranay Rane and Nitesh Kumar were giving the U Mumba a few nervy moments in the final minutes.

However, the U Mumba had done enough and walked away with a morale boosting win, and the fifth spot on the points table.

--IANS

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Vadodara, Dec 24 (IANS) Harleen Deol's maiden ODI hundred helped India secure a 115 run victory over West Indies in the second ODI and seal the series with third and last match scheduled at Kotambi Stadium on Friday.

The thrilling match featured two outstanding centuries, one from Harleen Deol and the other from West Indies' captain Hayley Matthews, in a high-scoring contest.

Electing to bat first, India racked up a formidable 358/5, equaling their joint-highest ODI total. The foundation of the innings was laid by Smriti Mandhana and debutant Pratika Rawal, who shared their second consecutive century stand as openers. Rawal, looking composed and confident after her nervous debut, played an aggressive knock to reach her maiden ODI fifty before falling for 76.

Mandhana, meanwhile, continued her stellar form, reaching her 29th ODI fifty and becoming the highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs this year.

Mandhana’s innings ended in an unfortunate run-out following a mix-up with Rawal. However, instead of showing frustration, the Indian vice-captain offered Rawal a reassuring pat, underscoring the team’s camaraderie.

Harleen Deol then took center stage, crafting a maiden international hundred from the No. 3 position. Having battled a serious knee injury just months ago, Deol repaid the faith of the team management with a sublime knock.

Dropped on 20 by Deandra Dottin, she capitalised on the lifeline to reach her century off 98 balls. Deol’s innings was the backbone of India’s middle-order charge, supported by Jemimah Rodrigues’ blistering 34-ball fifty in a 116-run partnership that came at a strike rate of over 163.

India's acceleration in the final 20 overs yielded 184 runs, significantly improving upon the 160 they managed in the first ODI. Contributions from Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh ensured a strong finish, setting West Indies a monumental target of 359.

Facing a daunting task, the West Indies began cautiously. The opening overs highlighted their defensive approach, with three maidens bowled in the first seven overs. Renuka Singh, who had dismantled their top order in the first ODI, was once again exceptional, keeping the batters under constant pressure.

Hayley Matthews, however, stood out with a magnificent century, her seventh in ODIs. Matthews attacked India's spinners with precision, particularly legspinner Priya Mishra, whom she read expertly. Her innings of 109 off 99 balls showcased her full repertoire of strokes, but she found little support from the rest of the batting lineup.

Shemaine Campbelle provided some resistance with a gritty 38, adding 112 runs with Matthews for the fifth wicket. Despite Matthews’ heroics, the West Indies fell well short of the target, eventually folding for 286 in 48.4 overs.

Priya Mishra was the pick of the bowlers as she claimed three wickets, giving away 49 runs. Rawal, Titas Sadhu and Deepti Sharma took two wickets each. Renuka Singh delivered disciplined spells upfront and claimed key wicket of Deandra Dottin with a superb in-swinger that shattered the stumps epitomised her skill.

Brief Score: India-W: 358/5 ( Harleen Deol (115), Pratika Rawal (76); Afy Fletcher 38/1) defeated West Indies-W: 243/10 (Hayley Matthews (106); Priya Mishra 49/3) by 115 runs.

--IANS

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Pune, Dec 24 (IANS) In a thrilling Pro Kabaddi League clash that secured UP Yoddhas the third spot in the league table with a 44-30 victory over Bengaluru Bulls, the spotlight shone brightest on PKL legend Pardeep Narwal, who achieved an extraordinary milestone of 1,800 raid points.

An all-round performance led by Shivam Choudhary, not only highlighted their championship credentials but also confirmed their eliminator 1 berth against the sixth-placed team, while Patna Pirates settled for fourth position in the standings.

In a tightly contested first half, the Bengaluru Bulls held a narrow 19-18 lead over UP Yoddhas at halftime, despite squandering an early 11-3 advantage. The Bengaluru Bulls initially dominated through Sushil's aggressive raiding and strong defensive work, inflicting the first All Out of the match. However, the Yoddhas mounted an impressive comeback, with their own All Out reducing the deficit to 15-13.

A highlight of the first half was Pardeep Narwal's historic achievement as he crossed the 1,800 Raid Points in the PKL – a feat he accomplished with a bonus point during a raid against the UP Yoddhas' defence.

The momentum shifted significantly after this moment, as the UP Yoddhas' coordinated defence and effective raiding from Surender Gill and Shivam Chaudhary helped them erase the seven-point deficit to briefly level the scores before Bulls edged ahead by a single point at the break.

The second half saw a dramatic swing in momentum as UP Yoddhas took control of the match, building a commanding 44-30 lead by the end. The turning point came around the 31-minute mark when the Yoddhas inflicted another All Out on the Bulls, establishing a crucial 6-point lead.

Shivam Chaudhary proved instrumental in this phase, consistently scoring points through successful raids, including a memorable leap over the Bulls' defence. Despite Pardeep Narwal and Sushil's efforts to keep the Bulls in contention, the UP Yoddhas' defense stood firm, with Sahul Kumar and Gangaram making crucial tackles.

The final minutes saw the UP Yoddhas extend their dominance, with Shivam Chaudhary delivering the knockout blow by helping inflict another All Out on the Bulls. Heidarali Ekrami fittingly closed out the match with a successful raid, cementing the UP Yoddhas' impressive 14-point victory.

--IANS

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Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Dec 23 (IANS) Brazilian defender Adryelson has returned to Lyon after completing a four-month loan at Botafogo, the Brazilian Serie A club said. Adryelson rejoined Botafogo in September, eight months after leaving the Rio de Janeiro club to sign for Lyon. Both Lyon and Botafogo are owned by American businessman John Textor.

In his latest spell with Botafogo, Adryelson made 11 appearances and helped the club win the Copa Libertadores in addition to the Brazilian Serie A title, reports Xinhua.

"You came back to Botafogo as a man on a mission and you etched your name into our history. We are immensely proud of you," Botafogo said in a social media post.

Adryelson made just four first-team appearances in eight months for Lyon before his return to Botafogo.

Vasco in chase of David Luiz

Meanwhile, former Brazil international defender David Luiz could join Vasco da Gama after his release from Rio de Janeiro rival Flamengo, according to media reports in the South American country. Vasco is seeking to bolster its defense in the off-season and Luiz is at the top of the club's wishlist under new manager Fabio Carille, Globoesporte reported.

It added that the 37-year-old had also received offers from other clubs in Brazil and abroad.

Luiz made 132 appearances for Flamengo across all competitions after joining the club from Arsenal in September 2021. The former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain centre-back endured a frustrating 2024 season as injuries and inconsistent form kept him to 23 league appearances out of a possible 38.

--IANS

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Coimbatore, Dec 23 (IANS) UP Falcons, Hampi Heroes, Chola Veerans and Hyderabad Hurricanes won their respective matches as the 11th edition of the Yuva Kabaddi Series kicked off its highly anticipated Division 2 matches at the Karpagam Academy of Higher Education here on Monday. Following a successful Division 3 campaign, the day’s action provided plenty of thrills, with four exciting matches packed with high-energy performances.

The first match of the day saw UP Falcons put on a dominant display to defeat Sindh Sonics 53-30. The Falcons were in control throughout the match, with Rachit Yadav and Ashish Bhati both registering Super 10s, while Ayush Kumar secured a High 5. On the other hand, Sindh Sonics struggled with their defense, despite a strong performance from Balraj Singh, who registered eight raid points.

In what turned out to be a thrilling contest, the Hampi Heroes defeated Delhi Dhurandhars 32-29 in a closely fought encounter. The match, originally scheduled for an earlier time, had to be rescheduled and started at 2:15 PM. Hampi's victory was built on an all-round effort. Someshwara Darshan starred in the raiding department, contributing eight raid points, while Darshan R got a crucial High 5 in defense. For Delhi, Anuj Negi’s Super 10 and Nishant Bhati’s High 5 went in vain as they were unable to hold on to their lead from the first half.

The third match of the day witnessed Chola Veerans emerge victorious over Chandigarh Chargers with a 34-27 scoreline. The match was evenly poised with 12 minutes left, but a late burst from the Veerans saw them seize control. A Balabharathi led the charge with seven tackle points, while the team received valuable contributions from multiple raiders to finish strong. Despite a commendable effort from Nikesh, who scored eight raid points and two tackle points, the Chargers lacked sufficient support in crucial moments, ultimately succumbing to the Veerans’ all-round performance.

In the final match of the day, Hyderabad Hurricanes crushed Panchala Pride 48-29. Suresh Oruganti was the standout performer, finishing with an impressive 17 raid points, while Tejavath Srinath contributed a crucial High 5. For Panchala Pride, Aditya Kumar and Karan Singh played their part with solid all-round efforts, but the Hurricanes’ raiding strength proved too much to handle. The Pride were outclassed in both attack and defense as Hyderabad cruised to a comfortable win.

--IANS

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