VISAKAPATNAM: Dabang Delhi K.C. etched a stunning win against Puneri Paltan in a thrilling contest that went to the Golden Raid at the Vishwanadh Sports Club in Vizag on Thursday. Ashu Malik scored yet another Super 10, while Fazel Atrachali got a High Five as the two sides took the score to 28-28 and forced a tie-breaker.
The Paltan, who have been in strong form this season, opened the scoring with a successful raid and quickly extended their lead to 2-0 with a solid tackle. Dabang Delhi then got on the board soon after through a tackle from Fazel Atrachali. The game remained evenly contested in the opening 10 minutes, with both teams trading points. At the first Time Out, Dabang Delhi held a narrow 8-6 lead.
Puneri Paltan fought back with a Super Tackle to level the scores at 8-8. However, the momentum shifted in the final four minutes of the half. Ashu Malik produced a Super Raid that earned Delhi three crucial points and gave them a 12-10 advantage.
Building on that, Dabang Delhi’s captain continued to dominate, adding more points and stretching the lead to 18-11. Puneri Paltan managed to pull a few back before halftime, but Dabang Delhi went into the break comfortably ahead at 18-13.
Puneri Paltan came out strong in the second half, reducing the gap to 17-19. A rare error from Fazel Atrachali gave them another point, bringing the score to 18-19. Soon after, Puneri Paltan inflicted an ALL OUT to take the lead at 22-21. They built on that momentum, extending their advantage to 24-21.
Just when it looked like Paltan had control, Dabang Delhi responded. Neeraj Narwal’s successful raid, followed by a strong defensive effort, cut the deficit to 24-26. The contest remained tight heading into the closing stages.
In the final minute, Dabang Delhi closed in further, bringing the score to 27-28. They then denied Sachin from crossing the Baulk Line, a costly error that levelled the game at 28-28 and forced a Tie-Breaker.
The Tie-Breaker saw both teams exchange points, with Paltan taking a 1-0 lead before Dabang Delhi equalised. The scores remained neck and neck, ending 5-5 after the set of raids, pushing the match into a Golden Raid.
Winning the toss, Dabang Delhi handed the responsibility to Ashu Malik. The skipper held his nerves, earning a Bonus Point as well as a Touch Point on Gaurav Khatri. This impressive raid, coupled with his Super 10, sealed the win for Dabang Delhi in what turned out to be a thrilling finish.
Friday's matches:
Match 1: U Mumba vs Bengaluru Bulls
Match 2: Haryana Steelers vs UP Yoddhas
PKL 12 LIVE on the Star Sports Network JioHotstar from 7:30 pm onwards.`