The Bengaluru Bulls were at their dominant best as they crushed the Gujarat Giants with a massive 54–26 victory at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday. With this comprehensive win, the Bulls not only secured two crucial points but also confirmed their place in the top four of the standings.
The Bulls outclassed their opponents in every department - from raiding to defence - and never allowed the Giants to settle into the contest. Bengaluru Bulls made a flying start against Gujarat Giants despite conceding the first point of the match.
The Giants opened the scoring through a successful raid by Himanshu Singh, but the Bulls quickly bounced back. Alireza Mirzaian produced a brilliant two-point raid to turn the game in the Bulls’ favour at 2–1, and Deepak Sankar followed it up with a strong tackle to extend their lead.
The Bulls continued their aggressive play and completely dominated the early exchanges. Within the first three minutes, they inflicted an all out, taking a massive 9-point lead - the fastest all out of the season for the Bulls and second fastest of the season.
Gujarat Giants picked up a few points, but the Bengaluru Bulls were in total control. Their raiders and defenders worked in perfect coordination, keeping the Giants under pressure throughout. By the time the Strategic Time Out was called in the first half, the Bulls had built a commanding 17–4 lead, showing their all-round dominance.
The Bulls carried their momentum into the next phase of the match, starting the resumption with a brilliant tackle that sent Aryavardhan Navale off the mat and added another point to their tally. Their defence looked sharp, and their coordination was spot-on.
The Bulls continued to dominate every aspect of the game, and the highlight came soon after when they inflicted a second all out, extending their lead to 22–5. The team showed no signs of slowing down, maintaining relentless pressure on the Gujarat Giants.
As the first half progressed, the Bulls’ raiders and defenders worked in perfect sync, not giving the Giants any room to recover. They went on to inflict a third all out of the half, stretching their lead to a massive 34–7.
By the time the whistle blew for halftime, the Bengaluru Bulls were firmly in command with a 36–7 lead, showcasing complete dominance on both ends of the mat. The script stayed the same after the break as the Bengaluru Bulls kept extending their lead.
Early in the second half, they forced another all out, their fourth of the game, to move to 45–11. The Bulls controlled every phase accurate raids, tight tackles and quick recoveries and by the time the Strategic Time Out was taken in the second half they led by 34 points, with the Giants struggling to find any momentum.
Alireza Mirzaian continued his fine form and completed his Super 10 during the match, showcasing his consistency in attack. Soon after, Akash Shinde also joined the party with a Super 10 of his own, adding to Bengaluru Bulls’ dominance on the mat.
The Gujarat Giants gave their fans something to cheer about when Shridhar Kadam produced a brilliant Super Raid, earning three points for his side. They followed it up by inflicting an all out, taking the score to 51–24.
However, the Bulls remained in complete control till the end. They continued to play with focus and discipline, eventually wrapping up the game with a massive and convincing victory.