PKL Season 6: Telugu Titans edge out Puneri Paltan 28-25 in a close encounter
Pune: Telugu Titans produced an accomplished all-round performance to beat Puneri Paltan 28-25 in Inter Zone Challenge Week of Vivo Pro Kabaddi League season 6. Puneri Paltan tried to mount a comeback in the last five minutes but just fell short in the end. Rahul Chaudhari and Nilesh Salunke combined to score 14 raid points whereas Krushna Madne and Abozar Meghani got seven tackle points for Telugu Titans. Sandeep Narwal got 7 points for Pune and made two crucial super tackles.
Abozar Meghani got the Telugu Titans up and running in the third minute with a strong tackle. Nilesh Salunke got a two-point raid in the next minute as Telugu Titans led 4-1. Akshay Jadhav got a bonus point and then Puneri Paltan followed with a super tackle in the 7th minute to trail 4-5. Puneri Paltan produced another super tackle in the 10th minute to tie the match at 6-6.
Telugu Titans inflicted the first all out if the match in the 12th minute to lead 11-7. Nilesh Salunke produced a ‘dubki’ in the 14th minute to give Telugu Titans 14-8 lead. Rahul Chaudhari showed brute strength as he made a two-point raid in the 18th minute as Telugu Titans led 17-8. Girish Ernak had a quiet first half for Puneri Paltan as he failed to get on the score sheet. Sandeep Narwal helped Pune force another super tackle in the last seconds of the first half as Puneri Paltan went into the break trailing 11-17.
Telugu Titans inflicted an all out at the start of the second half to lead 22-12 after 24 minutes. It was a slow start to the second half by Puneri Paltan as they scored just one point in the first eight minutes. The defence of Telugu Titans kept picking tackle points with ease they extended their lead to 12 points with 10 minutes to go.
Girish Ernak picked up his first tackle point of the night in the 33rd minute as Puneri Paltan trailed 17-26. GB More got a point in the 37th minute but the gap was eight points for Puneri Paltan. Three points in a minute gave Puneri Paltan a chance to inflict an all out as they cut the lead to just three points.
With less than 60 seconds to go, Telugu Titans led 27-24. Rahul Chaudhari got a raid point in the dying seconds to give Telugu Titans 28-25 victory.