Riding on raider Dhanasekar Malayali's outstanding performance, Palani Tuskers overcame Murthal Magnets 44-41 in a thrilling final to emerge champions in the Yuva Kabaddi Series Winter Edition 2023 at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Pondicherry.

The young left-raider scored 12 points in a nail-biting final that went to a five-raids decider after the match ended on level terms in full-time. Both teams also earned an equal number of points in the extra time to force the match into the decider where Palani Tuskers reigned supreme by 8-5 with their sublime attacking display.

Raider Kiruba Balanurugan and defender P. Rajith Ponlingan contributed to the champion side with seven raid points and four tackle points, respectively.

The thrilling encounter was witnessed by Shri. N. Rangaswamy, Hon'ble Chief Minister UT of Pondicherry along with EaseMyTrip Yuva Kabaddi Series co-founders Vikas Gautam and Suhail Chandhok, also the CEO of U Mumba’s Pro Kabaddi team.

"EaseMyTrip Yuva Kabaddi Series Winter Edition 2023 marked the 7th edition of the Yuva Kabaddi Series. The tournament is known for the rise of young stars and this edition was no different with the rising stars like Rohit from Murthal Magnets, Sakthivel from Palani Tuskers, and Srinath from Vijaynagara Veers. Each edition of the series brings surprises, and this one was no different with the electrifying finale between Palani and Murthal leaving a lasting impression. Gratitude is extended to Chief Minister N. Rangaswami of Pondicherry for gracing the event with his presence and presenting the awards. Thanks are also due to all stakeholders for their contributions to making the Winter edition of 2023 a resounding success," commented Vikas Gautam after the final.

Palani Tuskers bagged a total cash prize of ₹20 lakhs after winning the final, while Murthal Magnets got ₹10 lakhs with a runners-up finish for the second time in a row. Panchala Pride claimed the third position with ₹5 lakhs cash prize.

Meanwhile, Murthal Magnets' Rohit Rathee and Sonu Rathee were adjudged as the best raider and best defender of the tournament, respectively. They both received cash prizes of ₹50 thousand each.

The EaseMyTrip Yuva Kabaddi Series Winter Edition 2023 witnessed a total of 120 high-intensity matches with 240 players from 12 different states like Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Haryana, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Jammu & Kashmir participating in the tournament. The fans watched all the thrilling action Live on FanCode and DD Sport

TOP SIX TEAMS:
Champions - Palani Tuskers 
Runner - Up - Murthal Magnets 
3rd Position - Panchala Pride
4th Position - Aravalli Arrows 
5th Position - Vijayanagara Veers 
6th Position - Chola Veerans

TOURNAMENT AWARDS 
1. Best Raider of the Tournament: Rohit Rathee, Murthal Magnets| Prize Money Rs. 50,000
2. Best Defender of the Tournament: Sonu Rathee, Murthal Magnets | Prize Money Rs. 50,000
3. Most Effective Raider: Raju Galla, Vijayanagara Veers 
4. Most Effective Defender: Sakthivel Thangavelu, Palani Tuskers 
5. Do Or Die Specialist: Ganesh Ramawat, Vijayanagara Veers 
6. Super Raid Specialist: Rakesh Gowda, Hampi Heroes 
7. Super Tackle Specialist: Anuj Saini, Aravalli Arrows 
8. Multi Point Raid Specialist: Ankit Saharwa, Murthal Magnets