The Gujarat Giants defeated the Tamil Thalaivas 42-35 on Wednesday at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium in New Delhi thanks to a strong team defense and an outstanding performance by Himanshu Singh. The Giants are now in seventh place and have a chance to make the playoffs after this victory. While Himanshu led from the front of a Super 10, the Giants’ defense remained vigilant and converted multiple pivotal moments for points.
With a hard tackle from Shadloui, the Giants took the lead early in the game. The Giants then gained early momentum after Himanshu Singh’s successful raid. After Arjun Deshwal scored their first point, the Tamil Thalaivas were able to open their account.
The Giants maintained their control over the first exchanges, displaying assurance in both their attack and defense. With swift raids and judicious tackles, they put pressure on the Thalaivas and soon had a 7-3 lead. Their impressive performance quickly paid off as they extended their lead to 14-6 by inflicting the match’s first ALL OUT.
The Gujarat Giants continued to dominate the game, pushing ahead to 19-6 when the first half’s Strategic Time Out was declared. The Tamil Thalaivas rallied with a powerful Super Tackle after play resumed, reducing the lead to 19-9.
However, the Giants swiftly regained control, so their momentum was short-lived. They extended their lead to 24-10 by playing aggressively and promptly inflicting another ALL OUT.
Himanshu Singh demonstrated his attacking consistency during this strong phase by finishing his Super 10. With a steady rhythm on both ends of the mat, the Giants led 27–14 at the half and were clearly in control of the game.
In the second half, the Giants maintained their dominance and increased their advantage through some outstanding defensive play, so the narrative essentially stayed the same. With total control of the game, the Giants increased their lead to 15 points in the opening five minutes of the second half.
Arjun Deshwal performed admirably for the Tamil Thalaivas, finishing in the Super 10 and ensuring his team’s survival. His attempts, however, were insufficient to change the tide, as the Giants kept control and led 35–22 going into the Strategic Time Out.
The Thalaivas rallied as play started up again, and Moein Shafaghi scored three vital points with an incredible Super Raid, cutting the deficit to 36-27. By imposing an ALL OUT, they increased their momentum and closed the gap to 38-31.
The Giants maintained their composure and prevented the Thalaivas from taking control in spite of this late charge. They maintained a steady lead thanks to strong raids and strong defense, ultimately winning by a significant and emphatic seven points.
