It was a sour home-coming for Bengal Warriors as they failed to open their account going down to a mighty Bengaluru Bulls 46-30 in a one-sided affair of the Pro Kabaddi at the Netaji Indoor Stadium here today.
Ajay Thakur stole the limelight for the winners with 10 raid points followed by Rajesh Mandal with five points as they put up a spectacular show without giving an iota to the local side.
Korean recruit Jang Kun Lee and Nitin Mandane with four raid ponts each impressed for Bengal Warriors but their poor catching along with a defensive approach led to their downfall.
With victory margin of 16 points, Bengaluru Warriors logged five points for the win as they now have 15 points to close in on leaders U Mumba (18).
Thakur won the Best Raider of the match, while Dharmaraj Cheralathan was adjudged Best Defender.
Having lost to U Mumba in the Mumbai leg, the Big Bazaar owned franchise had pinned all their hopes on the beginning of the city leg in the carvan league with a strong crowd support but Bengaluru Bulls were more compact with their approach.
It was Bengal Warriors only second match as the team looked disjointed as they trailed 13-25 in the first half.
Lee and Mandane tried their best but the margin just got bigger and by 34th minute the Bulls stretched the lead by 15 points and it was just a formality thereafter.
The Kolkata franchise will take on Delhi in the second match tomorrow while Jaipur will lock horns against Vizag in the first match.
