PKL 9: Gujarat Giants, Tamil Thalaivas pulled of thrilling win

Gujarat Giants vs Bengaluru Bulls

The Gujarat Giants and Bengaluru Bulls kept exchanging the momentum throughout their vivo Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 9 contest, but raider Parteek Dhaiya's consistent effort helped the Giants register a 46-44 victory at the Shree Shivchhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi in Pune on Sunday. Dhaiya scored a total of 16 points in the match.

Captain Chandran Ranjit picked up a couple of raid points as the Giants took the lead at 5-2 in the 7th minute. Soon after, Rinku Narwal tackled Bharat and reduced the Bulls to three members on the mat. Thereafter, Parteek Dhaiya pulled off a magnificent raid to help his team inflict an ALL OUT and take a massive lead at 12-5. However, Bharat effected a few raids and kept the Bulls in the game at 10-15 in the 16th minute. Bharat kept showcasing top form and eventually the Bulls reduced the Giants to one member on the mat at the stroke of half-time. However, Gujarat had their noses in front at 21-16.

Comeback experts failed to stand on their name tonight.

The Bulls inflicted an ALL OUT in the opening minute of the second half and reduced the gap between the two sides significantly. Moments later, Aman tackled Rakesh and Neeraj Narwal effected a raid as Bengaluru levelled the scores at 24-24 in the 24th minute. The Bulls inflicted another ALL OUT in the 29th minute and attained the momentum at 34-29. However, Parteek Dhaiya effected a multi-point raid and Arkam Shaikh tackled Vikash Kandola as the Giants stayed within touching distance of Bulls' score at 32-35. 

The Gujarat side continued to fight and levelled the scores at 36-36 in the 35th minute. The Giants had a great chance to inflict an all out, but Neeraj Narwal pulled off a magnificent raid to help his team take the lead at 41-38 in the 38th minute. But soon after, Dhaiya effected a fantastic raid as the Giants inflicted an ALL OUT to inch ahead at 42-41. Gujarat played their cards to perfection in the last couple of minutes and eventually closed out a narrow victory.

Tamil Thalaivas vs Puneri Paltan

In an enthralling game of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) 9 at the Shree Shivchhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi in Pune on Sunday, the Tamil Thalaivas pulled off a thrilling 35-34 victory over Puneri Paltan to continue their march up the table. In the process they also broke the Paltan's five-match unbeaten streak and extended their own. Paltan's Aslam Inamdar (15 points) and the Thalaivas' Narender (13 points) were the pick of the raiders for the day. 

An incredible first half saw the two teams play at a relentless pace, almost every other raid resulting in a point. Pune's Aslam Inamdar and the Thalaivas' Narender traded blows almost constantly, exacting a point for point. While the partisan crowd screamed for their legendary captain Fazel Atrachali to get to the hallowed 400 tackle points mark, in reality, the Iranian was cautious. The Thalaivas went into the break leading by 16-15.

A miscalculation cost Puneri Paltan the match.

The Thalaivas stormed out of the blocks in the second half, inflicting the first ALL OUT of the game. Narender's SUPER RAID caught out Atrachali, Abinesh Nadarajan, Sombir and Pankaj Mohite to extend their lead to 24-16.

From thereon, the game turned into a tactical battle, Paltan getting the touch points to chip away at that lead, but the Thalaivas doing everything to ensure they didn't lose it entirely. At crucial moments, with three men on the mat, a pair of SUPER TACKLES, the first by Himanshu on Inamdar and a second by Sagar on Mohit Goyat salvaged a certain all out.  

With five minutes on the clock, Paltan rallied to inflict their first ALL OUT of the game and closed the lead to four at 30-34. A close game of PKL 9 became tense and unpredictable, with both teams wary of making even the most marginal of mistakes to forsake the lead. In the end, on the last raid of the evening, an erroneous calculation by the Paltan bench meant the Thalaivas leading by one point, snuck the points home, silencing the crowd and keeping their streak alive.

Award Winners of the Night:

Match 1: Bengaluru Bulls vs Gujarat Giants

vivo Perfect Player of the Match - Parteek Dhaiya (Gujarat Giants)

Dream 11 Gamechanger of the Match - Parteek Dhaiya (Gujarat Giants) 

Moment of the Match - Parteek Dhaiya (Gujarat Giants)

Match 2: Puneri Paltan vs Tamil Thalaivas

vivo Perfect Player of the Match - Narender (Tamil Thalaivas)

Dream 11 Gamechanger of the Match - Aslam Inamdar (Puneri Paltan)

Moment of the Match - Sagar (Tamil Thalaivas)