Defending champions Ahmednagar district showcased another outstanding performance in attacking Kabaddi to secure victory in the second edition of the Krantijyot Mahila Pratishthan Yuva Kabaddi Series Inter District Youth League 2024. They comfortably defeated Palghar district with a scoreline of 41-17 at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi in Pune on Saturday.
With three players who have made their mark in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 – Prafull Zaware, Aditya Shinde, and Shivam Patare – Ahmednagar district finished their campaign with an unbeaten record. Out of the 18 matches played in the competition, they won 17, with one game ending in a tie.
The final match between Ahmednagar and Palghar district provided an exciting conclusion to the tournament, as the defending champions faced off against a team that reached the summit clash against all odds.
The winning team received a prize purse of ₹20 lakh, while the runners-up were awarded ₹10 lakh. The Yuva Kabaddi Series, known for nurturing aspiring young kabaddi players since its inception in 2022, is a premier all-year-round tournament. Recently, the series celebrated the completion of its 1000th match within just 23 months. The 2nd Maharashtra edition of the tournament was organized under the aegis of the Maharashtra State Kabaddi Association alongside Krantijyot Mahila Pratishthan.
A total of 16 teams, comprising over 320 under-23 players below 80 kg weight category, competed in 124 matches over the last month. All the teams had a perfect blend of experienced campaigners and young aspirants looking to emulate the success of their illustrious teammates. Shinde, part of the PKL 10 title-winning Puneri Paltan squad, Patare, who played a crucial role in taking Haryana Steelers to the final, and Zaware of Telugu Titans represented Ahmednagar.
Zaware was awarded a cash prize of ₹50,000 for being adjudged the Best Raider, having scored 207 points, while Kolhapur's Dadaso Pujari was named the Best Defender of the tournament, securing 61 tackle points for a similar prize purse.
