Puneri Paltan became the second team to qualify for the playoffs of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 10, after a thrilling 30-30 tie with Dabang Delhi at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium on Monday.
In a neck-and-neck game, Aslam Inamdar (10 points) and Mohammadreza Chiyaneh (4 points) took their team over the line, helping them to the playoffs. Delhi need one more win to qualify for the playoffs this season.
After an initial feeling-out period, Puneri Paltan streaked into a small lead early in the game, their credentials as one of the best teams this season showed clearly. And yet Dabang Delhi were not overawed, slowly clawing back into contention courtesy of their defense, before the raiding department took charge.
One of the revelations of the season, Ashu Malik ensured that Delhi never lost steam or hope despite trailing for the initial period of the game. Soon enough his sporadic touch points gave them a lead, and they inflicted the first All-Out with four minutes of the half left to take a 15-9 lead. It was a lead they extended to eight points at halftime.
Paltan’s season has been built on a team that never gives up, no matter the deficit, and so it proved in the second half. Led by Aslam Inamdar they reduced Delhi’s numbers on the mat and got an All-Out of their own to reduce the gap to three points.
Just when it seemed that the momentum had shifted in favour of Paltan, Delhi hit back, Ashish’s tackle on a quick-thinking Mohamedreza Chiyaneh bringing the crowd to its feet. Chiyaneh, notorious for his quick raids was caught out for once as Dabang wrestled him and the lead back within their grasp.
The final five minutes of the game descended into a frenzy, with the two teams never separated by more than two points at any stage. With the final two raids of the evening, Paltan picked up the crucial points that drew them level, and deservedly to a tie.
Patna Pirates 36- 33 Jaipur Pink Panthers
Sudhakar M. excelled with a Super 10 as another closely fought match in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 saw the Patna Pirates seal an emphatic 36-33 win over the Jaipur Pink Panthers.
Arjun Deshwal and Sudhakar M. earned Super 10s for their respective teams, but it was the Patna Pirates who worked their way back to continue their unbeaten run to six matches.
Jaipur Pink Panthers, who have already qualified for the playoffs, started on a bright note as they raced to an early lead. The Patna Pirates, who are in the race to seal their spot in the playoffs, prevented one All-Out courtesy of Sudhakar M. but just before the strategic timeout, he was tackled by Sunil Kumar as the Patna Pirates gave their opponents the three points.
For the Patna Pirates, all eyes were on Sudhakar, who seemed like the bright spot. However, he was not ably supported by his teammates as the Jaipur Pink Panthers began to take a decisive lead in the game. Arjun Deshwal kept the pressure up on his team, and from the other side, it was Sachin who worked hard to get his side into the game as the score read 18-14 at the end of the first half.
The Patna Pirates turned the game almost immediately at the start of the second half, getting the Jaipur Pink Panthers All-Out as soon as the second 20 minutes started. This gave the team a lot of confidence, allowing them to level the score.
This did not deter the Jaipur Pink Panthers. Arjun Deshwal reached his Super 10, and 200 raid points in Season 10, before Sachin was trapped in a double thigh hold as the Jaipur Pink Panthers got a Super Tackle to their name. They recovered from their slow start to the half, staying ahead of their opponents by a single point as the match went into a close battle.
Just when the match seemed to be swaying in one direction, Patna Pirates skipper Sachin stuck to get the Jaipur Pink Panthers All-Out and giving his team the lead. This was enough to keep them above the two-time defending champions and sealed an important win to boost their chances of reaching the playoffs.
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