Gwalior, August 22 (H.S.) : Kirak Hyderabad emerged victorious in a thrilling final held on Thursday night in Gwalior, overpowering Rohtak Roddies 30-18 to claim the coveted Pro Panja League Season 2 championship.
The winning team took home a prize of 2 million rupees, while Rohtak Roddies’ Nirmal Devi was honored as the ‘Player of the Day.’ Kirak Hyderabad’s Satnam Singh earned the prestigious title of ‘Player of the Tournament,’ and Steve Thomas secured the ‘King of Kings’ crown.
Kirak Hyderabad dominated the tournament in points and lived up to their reputation on the final day with a commanding and deserving victory. Last season’s runners-up, who had narrowly missed the championship by a single point, finally lifted the trophy this time, etching their name into league history.
Steve Thomas of Kirak set a new Pro Panja League record by pinning Dipankar Mech in an astonishing 0.09 seconds, breaking the previous record of 0.10 seconds held by Sachin Goyal.
The event was graced by Pro Panja League co-founders Parveen Dabbas and Preeti Jhangiani. Other dignitaries present included organizing committee chairman Prabal Pratap Singh Tomar, Hockey India’s Associate Vice President Devendra Pratap Singh Tomar, International Olympic Committee member Dr. Narinder Dhruv Batra, professional wrestler Saurav Gurjar, and former kabaddi player Rahul Chaudhary. Olympic medalist and former boxer Vijender Singh stood as the team ambassador supporting Rohtak Roddies.
The final showdown featured a total of 10 matches—four undercard and six main card—each category represented by a player, showcasing the league’s comprehensive competition.
In the undercard, Kirak Hyderabad was dominant from the outset, sweeping Rohtak Roddies with convincing performances. Aviliye Juyi set the tone by defeating Arshdeep Singh 2-0 in the 90 kg category. Naveen M.V. doubled the lead with a 2-0 win over Nikhil Singh in the 60 kg bracket, followed by Rachna Jatav’s clean 2-0 victory against Karabi Sonowal in the 55 kg category. Rohtak’s Billa Tajamul fought valiantly, but veteran Kirak captain Askar Ali ensured a comfortable position with a 2-0 win in the 80 kg match before the main card battles.
The main card featured a standout match where world champion Srinivas B.V. earned the first points for Rohtak Roddies, overpowering Kirak’s Chandan Kumar Behra 5-0. Nirmal Devi kept Rohtak’s momentum alive with a flawless 10-0 victory over Jincy Jose in the 65+ kg category, followed by 18-year-old Abhas Rana’s 5-0 triumph over Amit Chaudhary in the 100+ kg division that tilted the momentum back to Kirak Hyderabad. Madhura K.N. reinforced Kirak’s lead by defeating Ribasuk Lingdoh 5-0 in the 65 kg bout, establishing dominance with two flash pins early on.
With the title hanging in the balance, Steve Thomas sealed the deal with an emphatic 10-0 victory against Dipankar Mech in the 70 kg category, pinning his opponent in just 0.09 seconds during the challenger round, clinching the championship before the final match. Despite falling short of the title, Rohtak’s Dara Singh finished strong by edging out Kirak’s Jagdish Barua 3-2 in the 100 kg category.
This electrifying and adrenaline-charged season culminated in Kirak Hyderabad’s triumphant raising of the prestigious Pro Panja League Season 2 trophy, marking the end of a spectacular campaign.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
