Madurai, Oct 17 (IANS): Palani Tuskers and Chola Veerans are among eight teams that qualified for the playoff round of the Yuva Kabaddi Series Monsoon Edition 2023 which kickstarts at the Fatima College Indoor Stadium in Madurai.

The revolutionary kabaddi tournament, which empowers India’s budding kabaddi stars with a highly competitive platform, presented thrilling action for the fans in an exciting format wherein 116 nail-biting matches were played in the first five rounds.

While Palani Tuskers, Chola Veerans and Nilgiri Knights made their way into the Summit round after powerful performances in the promotion round, Aravalli Arrows, Murthal Magnets, Panchala Pride, Vijayanagara Veers and Hampi Heroes held their nerves well in the Survival round to progress into the playoffs stage, the organisers informed in a release on Tuesday.

The final will be played on October 22.

The ongoing Yuva Kabaddi Series Monsoon Edition 2023 witnessed some stellar performances from the young Indian players, showcasing glimpses of India’s bright future in the sport.

The 23-year-old Suresh Veeraswami Oruganti of Vijayanagara Veers has impressed the most in the attacking department with the highest 192 raid points whereas Murthal Magnets’ Sonu Mahender Rathee currently leads as the top-defender with 66 points followed by Lokesh Jaisaram Ghosliya of Aravalli Arrows (54 pts) and Gowtham Murgan of Chola Veerans (53 pts).

Besides offering a much-needed platform, the Yuva Kabaddi Series also nurtures the young kabaddi talent of India as it aims to provide exposure and opportunities for future stars to compete with the best and learn from them. The tournament also aims to popularise kabaddi among the masses and create a fan base for the sport.

Fans can enjoy the exciting live action on DD Sports and the streaming is available on FanCode.