In the Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 (PKL 12) Qualifier-1 match played on Monday night at Delhi's Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium, Dabang Delhi K.C. defeated Puneri Paltan 6-4 to secure a spot in the final.
SPORTS NEWS: The first qualifier of Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 was played in thrilling fashion on Monday night at Delhi's Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium. In this match, Dabang Delhi K.C. defeated Puneri Paltan 6-4 in a breathtaking tie-breaker to confirm their place in the final. After the regulation time, the score was tied at 34-34, after which the match was decided by a tie-breaker. This was the third tie-breaker encounter between the two teams this season, and this time, victory went to Delhi.
Delhi Takes Early Lead with Strong Start
From the start of the match, both teams displayed aggressive play. For Dabang Delhi, Surjeet Singh and Sandeep Dhull put Puneri Paltan under pressure with early tackles. Delhi established a 4-point lead in the opening minutes. Captain Ashu Malik delivered a superb performance in a 'Do or Die' raid, further strengthening the team. However, Puneri Paltan's Gurdeep made a super tackle, bringing the score to 7-6.
After the first ten minutes, the difference between the two teams was marginal, but Delhi maintained composure. Two consecutive raids by Ashu Malik and a tackle by Surjeet Singh forced Paltan to suffer their first all-out. At this point, Delhi had taken a 7-point lead, and it seemed like the Season 8 champions, Delhi, were heading towards a one-sided victory.
Puneri Paltan's Strong Comeback
Despite Delhi's lead, Puneri Paltan did not give up. Aditya Shinde and Pankaj Mohite made a comeback with excellent raids. Meanwhile, in defense, Abinesh Nadarajan and Gurdeep made brilliant tackles, stopping Delhi's attacks. Paltan's Vishal Bhardwaj made a crucial tackle, inflicting an all-out on Delhi, leveling the score at 16-16.
By the end of the first half, the contest between the two teams was neck-and-neck. Delhi held a marginal lead at halftime — the score was 18-17. During this period, Captain Fazel Atrachali and Saurabh Nandal provided excellent defense for Delhi.
Changing Dynamics in the Second Half
The second half started slowly, as both teams adopted a 'Do or Die' strategy. Aslam Inamdar leveled the score for Puneri Paltan, and then Aditya Shinde's super raid gave Paltan a 2-point lead. Continuous tackles by Gaurav Khatri led Puneri Paltan to inflict another all-out on Delhi, making the score 28-23. At this point, Paltan looked b and seemed poised to play their second consecutive final.
However, Delhi's player Neeraj Narwal was determined to change the course of the match. He secured three points in two consecutive raids, bringing his team back into contention.
Neeraj Narwal and Ashu Malik Orchestrate Comeback
In the final five minutes, the match completely turned around. Neeraj Narwal's 'Do or Die' super raid breathed new life into Delhi. He took out three opposing players, inflicting an all-out, bringing the score to 33-34. In the last minute, Sandeep Dhull's tackle took out Paltan's star raider Aslam Inamdar, leveling the score at 34-34.
Both teams gave their all until the last second, but neither could secure a decisive lead. Consequently, the match went into a tie-breaker — which proved to be the most exciting moment of the season.
Delhi's Victory in the Tie-Breaker
In the tie-breaker, Dabang Delhi displayed excellent composure. Saurabh Nandal's first tackle gave the team an early lead. Following this, Akshit Dhull and Ashu Malik continuously scored points, leading the team to a 6-4 victory. With this win, Dabang Delhi K.C. secured their spot in the PKL 12 final, while Puneri Paltan will now get a second chance in Qualifier 2.
