Adroit Sports LLP-owned Rohtak Royals, the franchise representing the city of Rohtak, went down narrowly 41–43 in their debut match during the second fixture of the double-header on the opening day of the inaugural Kabaddi Champions League, played at the Sports University of Haryana, Rai. A last-minute unforced error proved costly for the Royals in what turned out to be a nail-biting encounter. Vijay Malik and Milan Dahiya emerged as the top scorers for Rohtak Royals with 11 and 10 points respectively, while Sandeep Narwal and Rakesh Singroha contributed five and four points each.
Rohtak Royals will next take the mat against Faridabad Fighters on January 28, 2026 (Wednesday). The match will be broadcast LIVE on Zee Channels, DD Sports, and the Wave OTT platform.
Karnal Kings struck early, drawing first blood in the opening minute to take the lead but Rohtak Royals responded immediately to neutralise the advantage through coordinated efforts in attack and defence. The contest then settled into a tight exchange, with the scores moving neck and neck. What followed was a closely fought battle, with Karnal Kings holding a slender 8–7 lead at the seven-minute mark. Unforced errors soon crept into the Royals’ play, resulting in an early All-Out in the 10th minute as they trailed 10–15. Thereafter, Karnal Kings maintained pressure through the remainder of the first half, keeping the Royals on the back foot. However, a moment of brilliance from Royals’ Rakesh Singhroha in the final minute saw him dismiss four defenders in a single raid, reducing the deficit from seven points to just two, and the scorecard read 23–21, still in Karnal’s favor at the halftime.
Rohtak Royals came out firing after the break, inflicting an early All-Out to overturn the deficit and move into a 29–26 lead by the 24th minute. Vijay Malik led the charge with vital consecutive points, while the defence stood firm to stretch the advantage to 30–26 by the 27th minute. Karnal Kings showed grit to claw their way back and level the scores at 31–31, but a crucial Super Raid from Milan Dahiya once again swung momentum in favour of the Royals with nine minutes left. The Kings, however, had the final say, executing their second All-Out in the 36th minute to move ahead 38–36. The contest remained intense until the final whistle, with Karnal Kings holding their nerve to maintain the lead. An unforced late error proved costly for the Royals, who eventually fell short by two points as the match ended 43–41 in favour of the Kings.
Rohtak Royals have partnered with ixigo, John Players, Campus Activewear, and MuscleBlaze as their official Travel, Loungewear, Footwear, and Nutrition Partners, respectively.
