HYDERABAD
Puneri Paltan emerged victorious in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 final, defeating Haryana Steelers 28-25 in a nail-biting encounter here at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium on Friday.
This win marks the Pune-based team’s first-ever title and comes after a heartbreaking loss in the final of the previous season.
The low-scoring encounter was built as a defensive battle, with the two strongest backlines meeting in the summit clash. However, it was Puneri Paltan’s raider Pankaj Mohite who emerged the hero on the night, scoring a crucial nine points and leading his team’s offensive charge, particularly in key do-or-die moments.
The first half was a close contest, with Puneri maintaining a narrow lead. A crucial four-point raid by Mohite near halftime pushed Haryana to the brink of an all-out, but substitute raider Vishal Tate kept the Steelers in the game with a crucial touch point.
As it happened: Puneri Paltan beats Haryana Steelers 28-25 to win PKL Season 10 - Highlights
The second half continued to be a tense affair. Paltan eventually pulled away to an eight-point lead in the final two minutes. Strong defensive play by right corner Gaurav Khatri, who secured four tackle points, helped Puneri slow down the game and secure a historic victory.
On the other hand, it was a disappointing night for Haryana which struggled defensively, only managing six tackle points throughout the match. One feels for coach Manpreet Singh, whose luck in finals as a coach remains poor. He lost two consecutive finals with Gujarat Giants (previously Gujarat Fortune Giants) before this gutting loss with the Steelers.
Paltan captain Aslam Inamdar was awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the season for 142 raid points and 23 tackle points. Their vice-captain Mohammadreza Chiyaneh won the Best Defender award but fell short of a record-equalling 100 tackle points by one solitary point, while Daband Delhi’s Ashu Malik bagged the Best Raider trophy for his haul of 276 raid points.
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