Kabaddi League: Panipat Panthers, Hisar Heroes, Bhiwani Bulls enter semi-finals

The final league day of the Kabaddi Champions League (KCL) lived up to expectations, with three high-intensity encounters in Matches 26, 27 and 28 sealing the semi-final line-up. Panipat Panthers, Hisar Heroes, Bhiwani Bulls and Rohtak Royals emerged as the top four teams to qualify for the knockouts.

With the league stage concluded, the KCL now heads into its most thrilling phase. Panipat Panthers will take on Rohtak Royals, while Hisar Heroes will clash with Bhiwani Bulls to book their spots in the final. The semi-final matches will be played at the Sports University of Haryana, Rai, on Friday.

Panipat Panthers and Hisar Heroes finished first and second, respectively, with 10 points each after winning five matches each. Bhiwani Bulls, Rohtak Royals and Sonepat Stars secured the third, fourth and fifth positions, respectively, with eight points each. Karnal Kings and Gurugram Gurus finished sixth and seventh with six points each, while Faridabad Fighters ended at the bottom of the table after losing six of their seven matches.

In match 26, Gurugram Gurus stunned Hisar Heroes with a commanding 41-28 victory after what began as a nightmare start for the Heroes. Gurugram raiders Mandeep Kumar and Vikas Kandola dominated the early exchanges, inflicting multiple all-outs to take a strong first-half lead. Hisar mounted a spirited comeback in the second half, led by Ashu Malik, who produced yet another raiding masterclass and finished as the Raider of the Match. However, Gurugram’s composure in do-or-die situations proved decisive. Sandeep Dhull, who claimed a High-5, anchored the defence and earned Defender of the Match honours.

After the win, Mandeep Kumar said, “We knew Hisar would come hard at us, but belief in our unit and timely raids made the difference. Ending the league stage with such a performance gives us great confidence.”

Match 27 was a must-win clash in which Panipat Panthers rose to the occasion, defeating Karnal Kings 48-37 in a high-scoring contest. Meetu Sharma was unstoppable, registering multiple super raids, completing his Super 10, and claiming the Raider of the Match award. Despite resistance from Karnal, Panipat’s momentum never dipped.

The league stage concluded in emphatic fashion in Match 28, where Bhiwani Bulls produced the most dominant performance of the season, hammering Faridabad Fighters 84-45 in the highest-scoring match of the league. Devank Dalal set the tone with a raid point inside the first 20 seconds, raced to an early Super 10, and repeatedly tore through the Fighters’ defence to win the Raider of the Match awar.