In a high-octane Puneri Paltan vs Bengal Warriorz encounter at the SDAT Multi-Purpose Indoor Stadium, Chennai, Puneri Paltan pulled off a nail-biting 49-44 win, winning a double against the Warriorz in PKL Season 12. The evening belonged to Aditya Shinde (18 points) and Pankaj Mohite (10 points), both of whom recorded Super 10s as they guided the defending champions to another crucial victory.
Despite a best attempt by Devank Dalal, who obtained 25 raid points and became the first man to reach 150 raid points in PKL 12, Bengal Warriorz lost the see-saw battle.
Fast-Paced Start: Puneri Paltan Strike Early
The action in the match between Puneri Paltan and Bengal Warriorz started right away, with Aslam Inamdar opening the score for Puneri Paltan from his first raid. The tone was set when Vishal Bhardwaj attempted to take down Devank Dalal, indicating the intention of a battle-hardened approach from the Paltan.
Though Ashish Malik and Himanshu Narwal brought the Warriorz back immediately, Pankaj Mohite replied with a two-point raid, leaving the Paltan a little ahead. At 10 minutes, the score was 9-7 in Puneri Paltan’s favour.
First All Out Swings Momentum to Paltan
The turning point arrived soon after as Abinesh Nadarajan brought down Devank to register the first All Out of the game, leaving Puneri Paltan five points ahead.
Shinde and Mohite repeatedly launched multi-point raids, keeping their team on top. Bengal Warriorz, though, played valiantly under the captaincy of Devank and the help of Himanshu to make the game closely fought. The first half drew to a close with Puneri Paltan 21-18 up.
Second Half: Momentum Swings Back and Forth
The second quarter of Puneri Paltan vs Bengal Warriorz just broke loose. Paltan began well with a Super Tackle on Devank, but the Bengal Warriorz returned with a bang. Manprit and Devank contributed important points, and the latter had his payback with an All Out, making the difference 30-27.
Pankaj Mohite turned the tables once more with a Super Raid, re-establishing Paltan’s 6-point lead. Devank wasn’t finished, however—he followed with another Super 10 to cut the margin to four points going into the last quarter.
Aditya Shinde’s Super Raid Seals the Deal
With the match hanging in the balance, Aditya Shinde came up with a game-turning Super Raid, finishing his Super 10 and taking Puneri Paltan solidly in command. The team followed it with a second All Out, further taking the lead to 46-35 with less than five minutes remaining.
Pankaj Mohite soon finished his Super 10, settling the game’s fate in spite of Devank’s heroic 25-point performance—his third 20+ point outing this season.
Final Score: Puneri Paltan 49 – 44 Bengal Warriorz
The Puneri Paltan and Bengal Warriorz lived up to their hype as a high-scoring thriller. Though Devank Dalal was great in his individual performance, the combined force of Aditya Shinde, Pankaj Mohite, and Abinesh Nadarajan led Puneri Paltan in clinching their double victory against the Warriorz in Season 12.
Puneri Paltan vs Bengal Warriorz: Top Performers
Aditya Shinde (Puneri Paltan) – 18 points, Super 10
Pankaj Mohite (Puneri Paltan) – 10 points, Super 10
Devank Dalal (Bengal Warriorz) – 25 points, Super 10
Abinesh Nadarajan (Puneri Paltan) – Pivotal tackles during both All Outs
PKL Season 12 Matches – Wednesday, October 1
Match 1: Haryana Steelers vs Jaipur Pink Panthers
Match 2: U Mumba vs Tamil Thalaivas
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