Delhi Dangal Warriors Reach PWL Final After Thrilling 5-4 Win Over Maharashtra

Speaking to ANI, Bhanwala said wrestlers usually get sufficient recovery time between competitions, which was not the case in the league format.

"For every tournament, we take 15-20 days' rest after the competition. Our body and focus on the next competition. But here, we have a new experience. We play today, and we have to get ready the next day. It was a new experience for us. We learn only for the competition. Everyone did their best. Today was not our day," she said after the match.

Meanwhile, Delhi Dangal Warriors wrestler Atish Todkar said his team was delighted to reach the final of the league.

"I am thrilled that our team won and reached the finals. In the beginning, we made a mistake. We lost to Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. We have returned and will perform well in the finals," Todkar told ANI.

In the match, Delhi Dangal Warriors booked their place in a thrilling final of the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) 2026 after edging past Maharashtra Kesari in a pulsating Semi-final 2 at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Friday night.

In a contest that swung dramatically from bout to bout, Delhi showed composure under pressure to claim a 5-4 victory and set up a mouth-watering title clash against Haryana Thunders.

Shubham Kaushik was named Player of the Match for his extraordinary comeback win in the 57kg men's category that kept Delhi alive at a crucial stage. At the same time, Manisha Bhanvala earned Fighter of the Match honours for her dominant display that anchored Maharashtra's charge in the women's same weight category, according to a PWL press release.

Delhi struck first in the 62kg women's contest through Anjli, who produced a composed and clinical performance against Dudova Bilyana Zhivkova. Mixing takedowns, push-outs, and a decisive four-point move in the Power Minute, Anjli secured a convincing 12-4 win to hand Delhi the early lead.

Maharashtra responded immediately in emphatic fashion as Manisha Bhanvala dominated Karla Godinez Gonzalez in the 57kg women's tie, overwhelming her opponent with relentless takedown-turn combinations to claim a 15-0 technical superiority victory and level the tie.

Momentum swung Maharashtra's way in the heavyweight clash, where captain Robert Baran continued his unbeaten run. After conceding an early activity point, Baran took complete control in the second period, unleashing takedowns and exposures, especially during the Power Minute, to defeat Ronak 11-1 and put Maharashtra ahead. The advantage grew in the 53kg women's contest as Nishu Bhanwala edged out Saarika in a dramatic bout.

An intense first period gave Nishu a cushion, and despite Saarika's spirited comeback in the second, Maharashtra secured a narrow 7-6 win to move 3-1 ahead.

Facing the pressure of loss, Delhi found a lifeline through Shubham Kaushik in the 57kg men's category. Carrying a sore knee, Kaushik produced one of the moments of the tournament, overturning a significant deficit in the Power Minute with a stunning four-point exposure followed by a four-point takedown to snatch an 11-10 victory and keep Delhi in contention.

The tie was levelled in the 76 kg women's bout as European champion Anastasiya Alpyeeva showcased her experience against Harshita Mor. After conceding early points, Alpyeeva regrouped with sharp takedowns and push-outs, maintaining control in the second period to close out a 7-5 win and bring the semi-final to 3-3.

Delhi then surged ahead for the first time since the opening contest as Vafaeipour Hadi Bakhtiar edged Amit 11-9 in a fiercely contested 86 kg encounter, making the decisive difference with back-to-back takedowns in the Power Minute.

The defining moment came in the 74 kg men's tie between Turan Bayramov and Yash. Bayramov dominated the opening period to race into a 5-0 lead before Yash mounted a strong comeback in the second period to draw level at 5-5. With the bout tied, Bayramov was declared the winner on a higher-scoring technique, giving Delhi their fifth win and confirming their place in the final.

The final bout was decided by forfeit, with Tevanyan Vazgen awarded the win, but the outcome was already sealed as Delhi Dangal Warriors closed the semi-final 5-4.

- ANI