PKL 9: Puneri Paltan go top, Dabang Delhi back in top six

Defending champions are back to winning ways.

Dabang Delhi vs Haryana Steelers

Naveen Kumar roared back to form in season 9 on Sunday as Dabang Delhi K.C. picked up a stellar 42-30 win over Haryana Steelers in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 9 at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium, Hyderabad. The Delhi skipper put Steelers' defenders on the backfoot straightaway into the match, and finished the game with 15 points, helping his team get the big win. 

Naveen started the match for Dabang Delhi and earned a bonus point straightaway. On the other end, Meetu was caught by Sandeep Dhull with a backhold as Delhi took an early lead. But Manjeet earned a SUPER RAID to put Haryana Steelers in front with a two-point lead. The momentum shifted again as Naveen earned a bonus and a raid point to give back his side the lead.

At the halfway mark in the first half, Dabang Delhi inflicted an ALL OUT on Haryana Steelers with Naveen earning a SUPER RAID, extending their lead to 15-7. Manjeet earned a raid point straightaway upon restart to reignite Haryana's hopes of a comeback. K Prapanjan leapt under the opposition's defenders to add another point for Steelers. But Naveen kept picking up bonus points as Delhi reached halftime with a hefty 23-13 lead.

The second half started with Manjeet getting caught by Amit Hooda straightaway as Delhi maintained their control of the match. But K Prapanjan earned a four-point SUPER RAID as Haryana Steelers began their fightback. However, With Vijay Malik earned two points through a SUPER TACKLE for Delhi and ensured that the Steelers do not have any room to get back in the game.

After Jaideep made a defensive error, Krishan earned another SUPER TACKLE on Manjeet to further dent Steelers' hopes of getting back in the match. With just a few minutes left in the match, Delhi started rolling down the clock, while Haryana started showcased urgency to get back. However, Ashu Malik closed down the match with a SUPER RAID as Delhi won the encounter with ease.

Puneri Paltan vs Bengaluru Bulls

The Puneri Paltan survived a late scare to beat the Bengaluru Bulls 35-33 in the second game of the evening of PKL 9 at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderebad on Sunday. A late surge by the Bulls with Bharat at the centre of it, sparked the stadium to life in one of the best games of the season.  

Billed as a clash between the Bulls' raiding power against Pune's strength in defence, the start did not disappoint. Despite a quick start by the Bulls, who matched the Paltan point for point in the early exchanges, the Paltan defence gave the impetus to their team a few minutes later. The Paltan inflicted the first ALL OUT of the game within the first 10 minutes as they surged into a 14-4 lead. 

From there it became a lesson in all-round kabaddi for the team currently at the top of the table as the Paltan nicked points while raiding as well as in defence. They succeeded in keeping the Bulls' danger man Bharat off the mat for large stretches of the half to stay in control. With another all out looming, a SUPER TACKLE by Mayur Kadam on Aslam Inamdar delayed the inevitable and kept them in the game. Going into halftime, Paltan were leading by a massive 10 points at 20-10. 

The Bulls kicked off the second half with a SUPER TACKLE, Neeraj Narwal tackling Mohit Goyat to spark some belief and a resurgence in the side. Unfortunately, the tackle proved a false dawn, as the Paltan defence ensured that they did not let the Bulls off the hook. And sure enough, the pressure paid off as they inflicted a second ALL OUT on the Bulls to take a 26-12 lead.

In a massive lead, and Bharat struggling to score his first point of the game, the Paltan looked to have sealed the game. And then in the final five minutes, the Bulls suddenly came alive. With just over 3 minutes left to play they inflicted their first ALL OUT on the Paltan to cut the lead down to five at 27-35. With his first points in the bag, Bharat suddenly found his old form again, and the points kept flowing. A 12-point lead was wiped out within two minutes and with ten seconds to go, the Bulls drew level to turn a stroll into a nailbiter. With the last raid of the evening, on a Do or Die raid, Inamdar delivered the final blow, against the momentum as the Paltan took the win.  

Award Winners of the Night:

PKL 9 Day 38 Match 1: Haryana Steelers vs Dabang Delhi K.C.

vivo Perfect Player of the Match - Naveen Kumar (Dabang Delhi K.C.)

Dream 11 Gamechanger of the Match - Ashu Malik (Dabang Delhi K.C.)

Moment of the Match - Naveen Kumar (Dabang Delhi K.C.)

PKL 9 Day 38 Match 2: Bengaluru Bulls vs Puneri Paltan

vivo Perfect Player of the Match - Mohit Goyat (Puneri Paltan)

Dream 11 Gamechanger of the Match - Bharat (Bengaluru Bulls)

Moment of the Match - Aslam Inamdar (Puneri Paltan)