PKL: Puneri Paltan makes light work of Bengal Warriors, GFG edges Bulls

The Paltans showed spectacular calibre with the all-round ability of Sandeep Narwal, dogged raiding by Gurunath More and a fine defensive game by Girish Ernak.

Published : Aug 15, 2017 22:51 IST

 Puneri Paltan's Sandeep Narwal takes control of  Bengal Warrriors' Maninder Singh (in blue)  with a firm grip.
Puneri Paltan's Sandeep Narwal takes control of Bengal Warrriors' Maninder Singh (in blue) with a firm grip.
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Puneri Paltan's Sandeep Narwal takes control of Bengal Warrriors' Maninder Singh (in blue) with a firm grip.

A super-skilled Puneri Paltan inflicted a heavy 34-17 on  a beleaguered Bengal Warriors in the first Inter-Zonal league match of the Vivo ProKabaddi at the Arena by Transstadia on Tuesday.

Even with skipper and raider Deepak Niwas Hooda, virtually rendered out of action for a large part of the tie, the Paltans showed spectacular calibre with the all-round ability of Sandeep Narwal, dogged raiding by Gurunath More and a fine defensive game by Girish Ernak.

READ: Scorecard and play by play commentary

The match began with Hooda returning an empty raid and Warriors scoring a bonus point, but gradually, Paltans began to exercise control through a sequence of  touch points by More and Narwal. Both were steady and solid while effecting tackles, with the latter logging more tackle points (4) as against touch points (3) while leading the charge on the rival territory.
 
The first half was marked by both teams conceding points with Hooda and the Warriors’ top raider, South Korean  Jang Kun Lee, running into the lobby (out of play) after failed and successful hand touch attempts. 

Lee, who had come into the match with 23 raid points, was  done in by the robust defensive work of  Sandeep Narwal, Ernak; they also made sure that the Warriors’ Maninder Singh was not given the leeway to stay in play for a long time, ejecting him a number of times.
 
With Lee and Maninder falling victims quite often, the Warriors never made headway and after trailing 10-17 at half time, it just could not muster the riposte to keep a combative opponent at bay.

Maninder Singh and Ran Singh managed to put up semblance of a fight, but eventually the Warriors slipped to its  second consecutive defeat this season.

Gujarat Fortunegiants edges Bengaluru Bulls

Trailing 9-14 at half time, Gujarat Fortunegiannts (GFG) scripted a great comeback to beat Bengaluru Bulls in the second Inter-Zonal match.

READ: Scorecard and play by play commentary

The home team went to the extent of keeping captain Sukesh Hegde on the bench for the entire duration of the  second half. Instead it opted to play the tall and strapping Mahendra Rajput and he scored four big points. 

Earning a lona (all out) in the 11th minute of the second half, GFG tied the score at 21 and thereafter, there was no looking back. Sachin Tawar, Rohit Gulia,  Parvesh Bhainswal, Abozar Mighani and Sunil Kumar all played their part for their team to record a memorable fifth win in the league.

GFG was able to minimise the impact of the dangerous raider and rival captain Rohit Kumar by keeping him in the bench at regular  intervals.
 
Result:

Puneri Paltan 34 beat Bengal Warriros 17.

Gujarat Fortunegiants 27 beat Bengaluru Bulls 24.

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