PKL 9: Tamil Thalaivas, Bengaluru Bulls secured a close win

Tamil Thalaivas vs Gujarat Giants

The Tamil Thalaivas held a comfortable lead going into the last 7 minutes of the game, but the Gujarat Giants put up a strong fight in the last phase of their vivo Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 9 match on Sunday. However, Ajinkya Pawar pulled off a couple of magnificent raids in the last minute of the match and helped his side clinch a 42-39 victory at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Narender picked up a few bonus points as the Thalaivas took the lead at 6-2 in the 4th minute. Ajinkya Pawar and Arpit Saroha tackled Rakesh as the side from Tamil Nadu kept forging ahead. However, Parteek Dahiya tackled M Abishek and kept the Giants in the game at 6-10. The Giants kept fighting and reduced the Thalaivas to two members on the mat. Moments later, the Gujarat side inflicted an ALL OUT and got within touching distance of Gujarat's score.

Thereafter, Captain Dong Geon Lee pulled off a raid and Arkam Shaikh tackled Ajinkya Pawar as the Giants inched ahead at 17-15 in the 13th minute. However, Ajinkya Pawar and Narender effected raids and helped their side take the lead at 21-18 in the 18th minute. The side from Tamil Nadu rode on the momentum and held the lead at 24-20 at the stroke of half-time.

Pawar effected a magnificent raid in the opening minutes of the second half and moments later, the Thalaivas inflicted another ALL OUT in the 25th minute to attain a stronghold of the match at 30-22. The Thalaivas tackled Lee in the 30th minute and continued to hold a big lead at 35-26. Giants' Sourav Gulia picked up a couple of tackle points, but Gujarat were too far behind at 28-36 in the 33rd minute.

Thereafter, Chandran Ranjit entered the mat and earned a flurry of raid points and got his team close to the Thalaivas's score at 36-38 in the 39th minute. Parteek Dahiya also contributed with a couple of raid points and reduced the Thalaivas to just one member on the mat. However, Pawar scored a raid and bonus point and ensured that the Tamil Nadu side stayed ahead at 41-38. Pawar pulled off another raid in the last second of the match and helped his side win a thriller in the end.

Dabang Delhi vs Bengaluru Bulls

An inspired second half performance by Bharat powered the Bengaluru Bulls to yet another comeback victory for the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) season 9 as they defeated Dabang Delhi K.C. 52-49 at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday. Bharat's scarcely believable 23 points, the most by a raider in a single game this season, were supported by Vikash Kandola's 10 as they took a valuable win.

Delhi's Naveen registered a mere two points in the first half, but around him everyone thrived. Ashu Malik and Vijay Malik ran riot through a porous Bulls defence racking up touch points with ease. At the other end, Amit Hooda and Vishal were exemplary in containing Bharat and Vikash Kandola the defence chiefly responsible for the huge gap in points. 

The team from the capital city registered its first ALL OUT of the evening within eight minutes to go into a 13-7 lead. The pattern continued and with five minutes left as they inflicted a second ALL OUT to surge into a 13-point lead. However, Bulls' Kandola pulled off a SUPER RAID on Sandeep Dhull, Vishal and Ravi Kumar just before halftime, but Delhi still held the lead at 25-16.

The Bulls raced out of the blocks in the second period and inflicted an ALL OUT of their own to cut down the lead to 27-18. At the key moments though Dabang kept the pressure on as they got their third ALL OUT of the evening to wrest back a 10 point lead.

The final five minutes were a frenzy of points, the Bulls' famed for their comebacks this season sticking true to form. Bharat, in particular, was sensational, picking up multiple points with almost every raid, and single-handedly destroying Delhi's lead. The Bulls inflicted another ALL OUT with three minutes left to cut the lead down to three. From there the momentum shifted. With ninety seconds on the clock, the Bulls inflicted another ALL OUT to streak into a 51-46 lead, the first time they did so in the game. The Bulls held on to the lead for the rest of the game to take a valuable victory.

Award Winners of the Night:

PKL 9 Day 44 Match 1: Tamil Thalaivas vs Gujarat Giants

vivo Perfect Player of the Match - Ajinkya Pawar (Tamil Thalaivas)

Dream 11 Gamechanger of the Match - Narender (Tamil Thalaivas)

Moment of the Match - Ajinkya Pawar (Tamil Thalaivas)

PKL 9 Day 44 Match 2: Dabang Delhi K.C. vs Bengaluru Bulls

vivo Perfect Player of the Match - Bharat (Bengaluru Bulls)

Dream 11 Gamechanger of the Match - Vikash Kandola (Bengaluru Bulls)

Moment of the Match - Bharat (Bengaluru Bulls)