So close, yet so far.

Our Giants battled with full force in a nail-biting contest against the Jaipur Pink Panthers, only to fall short by the narrowest of margins in the golden raid.

We began brightly, with Rakesh Sungroya being on top of his game. The star raider was in scintillating form, scoring 11 points and registering our first Super 10 of the season. His agility & sharpness kept Jaipur’s defence on their toes throughout.

On the defence front, Nitin Panwar once again proved his mettle. The all-rounder delivered a strong performance with four tackle points, including a crucial Super Tackle in the first half, that ensured we went into the break with a slender 16-15 lead.

The evening also saw Aryavardhan Navale’s debut, who made a great impact off the bench. The raider showed great composure on the mat, chipping in with four valuable raid points and adding another dimension to the Giants’ attack.

Thereafter, the battle raged on till the final moments as we matched the opposition raid for raid, tackle for tackle. At the end of 40 minutes, the scoreboard read 30-30, forcing the tie-breaker. Even there, the teams couldn’t be separated until the golden raid tipped the scales in Jaipur’s favour.

Despite the heartbreaking finish, the Giants displayed resilience and fighting spirit till the very last second. This narrow loss won’t define the grit this unit has shown on the mat. With just a one-day break, we will regroup and march forward with fire in our hearts, preparing to face Dabang Delhi K.C. on September 11.