The UP Rudras, a Hockey India League team located in Lucknow, defeated the Tamil Nadu Dragons to end their season; however, they were only one point outside of the top four and lost out on making it to the quarterfinals. However, the season was particularly meaningful to the franchise in a number of ways. UP Rudras won five of their ten games, lost four, and drew one.

Because of their dedication to discipline and sportsmanship throughout the competition, the UP Rudras were given the Fair Play Award. The club ended up giving up the fewest goals (22) over the lengthy competition due to James Mazarello’s outstanding reflexes and vital saves. James’ outstanding efforts kept the competition on their feet and were crucial to the UP Rudras’ campaign.

As he looked back on the season, team captain Hardik Singh was pleased with his team’s performance. The squad had a good mix of youthful, talented players like Talem Priyobarta, Sudeep Chirmako, and James Mazarello, as well as more experienced players like Kane Russell, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, and Tanguy Cosyns. The squad, which is renowned for playing without fear, showed incredible tenacity and fortitude in spite of the loss.

“I am extremely proud of the squad, even if it wasn’t the season finale we had planned for. What really counts is that we always gave it our all when we took the field. On and off the field, we treasured every second spent together. Being able to guide such a gifted bunch of athletes is an honor for me. Throughout the season, we made a lot of development in addition to some missteps.

“We’ll learn from this season and come back better the next year. I also want to express my sincere gratitude to all of our fans for their steadfast support. Representing the UP Rudras has been a true joy, Hardik said.

UP Rudras had a number of exceptional individual performances over the season, which put them in a great position to qualify. The club won a number of games to start the season, but certain mistakes in later games cost them dearly. UP Rudras battled valiantly for fourth place in the league stage final. But even though they won the game, they only managed to earn two points, which put them just outside the top four.

Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers, Hyderabad Toofans, Tamil Nadu Dragons, and Soorma Hockey Club all secured the top four spots, with the Bengal Tigers becoming victorious.