Jaipur Pink Panthers returned to the top of the Pro Kabaddi League table after a brilliant 27-22 win over Dabang Delhi at the Thyagaraj indoor Stadium in Delhi on Wednesday.
Delhi's wait to qualify for the playoffs extends into another week as they finished their home leg on a sedate note. The league's leading raider Arjun Deshwal registered yet another 10 point game on a triumphant evening, as Ashu Malik's battling 9 points came in a losing cause.
In the second match of the day, Puneri Paltan were in great form, having already qualified for the playoffs, as they secured a 31-40 win over the Bengaluru Bulls.
Jaipur got off to a flying start and by the time Delhi registered their first point on the board, they had already been reduced to four players on the mat. That collapse rolled on, and within minutes Jaipur had registered the first all-out of the game to take a 10-3 lead.
Delhi slowly edged their way back into the game, and while their raiders managed to shake off the early setbacks, their defence still hadn't clicked together. Vikrant and Mohit, in particular, struggled through the half and did not get a single successful tackle from the three they put in. Jaipur went into the break leading by seven points and looking comfortable for another victory.
Delhi's tormentor in chief was Arjun Deshwal, who extended his lead as the top raider of the season throughout the game. His consistency also meant that Jaipur never let that gap slip throughout the second period, despite Delhi matching them raid for raid for raid for most of the game.
None of that mattered in the final quarter of the game though, with the pressure truly at its highest. In an electric three-minute stretch, Ashu Malik and Ashish, in attack and defence, quickly pulled Delhi to within two points, with three minutes of the game to play.
Ashu's brilliant running hand touch to take out Deshwal seemed to have swung the momentum firmly in the home team's favour and yet, almost immediately it swung back.
Reza Mirbagheri's super tackle with less than two minutes on the clock widened the gap to four, and also proved to be the killer blow for Jaipur who ran the clock down smartly to take the points and take their place at the top of the table.
Puneri Paltan beat Bengaluru Bulls
The Paltan were the main aggressors in the first half, taking a decisive lead early in the game. The Bulls, chasing a place in the playoffs, saw Sushil unable to convert his do-or-die raid. Skipper Aslam Inamdar once again was the main aggressor for his team, although he was well-supported by Mohit Goyat.
As the first half was coming to an end, the Bulls worked hard to reduce the deficit between the two teams. Sushil made the most of a do-or-die raid before Parteek trapped Inamdar during another do-or-die raid. Raider Mohit Goyat then turned defender to earn his team a crucial two points with a super tackle to get Sushil off the mat as the scores read heading into the 13-18 at the halftime break.
The Bulls were not able to carry their momentum from the end of the first half as Akash Shinde helped his team survive with a super tackle against Vikash Kandola. Meanwhile, the Bulls raider Sushil was unsuccessful in his do-or-die raid as his team looked for a way back into the game.
Inamdar inched closer to a super 10 after a successful raid got the Bulls all out in the 14th minute. The Paltan raiders turned defenders as Goyat and Shinde found themselves among the tackle points. This took the team to 33 points as compared to the Bulls’ 15 ahead of the strategic time-out in the second half.
Bharat was substituted onto the mat in the second half and got some crucial points, but it was not enough as the lead taken by the Paltan was enough to ensure their side won the game. For the Bulls, the loss put a dent in their playoff ambitions, but they came back well after Sushil’s super raid in the final minutes reduced the deficit between the two teams.