Cuttack, 23 February (HS): The thrill of the knockout phase reached its peak in the 71st Senior National Kabaddi Championship. The matches played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack were dominated by the top teams, making the tournament even more interesting.

Tough win for Haryana: Defending champions Haryana faced a tough challenge against Tamil Nadu. However, Haryana's strong raiding unit, led by experienced Yogesh Kathunia and Ashu Malik, produced a brilliant display and registered a 48-41 win. In the match, the Tamil Nadu team showed a strong performance, but Haryana took the lead in the final moments.

Services' resounding win: Services led by Naveen Kumar showcased their skill and balanced play to beat Madhya Pradesh 57-22. Thanks to their strong defense and aggressive raiding, this match proved to be completely one-sided. With this performance, Services has placed itself among the leading contenders for the title.

One sided win for Punjab: Another legendary Kabaddi team Punjab played a brilliant game against Bihar and won by a huge margin of 47-18. His team maintained this control from the start and gave Bihar no chance of a comeback.

Maharashtra beats Odisha: Hosts Odisha faced a tough challenge against Maharashtra, where Maharashtra registered a 43-26 win thanks to strong performances from players like Akash Shinde, Ajit Chauhan and Pankaj Mohite. Despite the support of the home crowd, Odisha's team could not stop Maharashtra's strategic advance.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar