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Delhi Dangal Warriors Lead Punjab Royals 3-2 in Crucial PWL Clash

The Delhi Dangal Warriors hold a narrow 3-2 lead over the Punjab Royals at the midway point of their crucial final Pro Wrestling League 2026 league match. Delhi requires a victory to secure an outright semi-final berth, while Punjab has already qualified. Key wins for Delhi came from Vafaeipour Hadi Bakhtiar's dominant 20-7 performance and captain Sujeet Kalkal's authoritative 10-1 victory. Punjab kept the contest close with wins from Priya Malik and Rajnita Jangra.

Key Points: PWL 2026: Delhi Leads Punjab 3-2 in Final League Match

  • Delhi needs win to qualify
  • Priya Malik wins for Punjab
  • Vafaeipour Hadi Bakhtiar dominates 20-7
  • Sujeet Kalkal seals 10-1 victory
2 min read

Pro Wrestling League: Delhi Dangal Warriors lead 3-2 against Punjab Royals at midway point

Delhi Dangal Warriors take a 3-2 lead over Punjab Royals in a must-win Pro Wrestling League match. Key wins from Sujeet Kalkal and Vafaeipour Hadi Bakhtiar.

"Delhi responded emphatically... Bakhtiar imposed complete control - PWL Press Release"

Noida, January 30

Delhi Dangal Warriors held a narrow 3-2 advantage over Punjab Royals at the halfway mark of Match 15, the final league fixture of the Pro Wrestling League 2026, being played on Day 13 at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Friday.

With Punjab Royals already assured of a semi-final berth on six points, the pressure firmly rested on Delhi, who require a win to qualify outright without relying on bout difference or other technical criteria, as per a PWL press release.

Punjab Royals struck first in the 76kg women's contest through Priya Malik, who delivered a disciplined and tactically sound performance against Anastasiya Alpyeeva. Capitalising on passivity in the opening period and adding a crucial push-out in Period 2, Priya secured a slim 2-0 victory to give Punjab the early lead.

Delhi responded emphatically in the 86kg men's contest as Vafaeipour Hadi Bakhtiar produced one of the most dominant performances of the match. In a high-intensity tie, Iranian grappler Bakhtiar imposed complete control on Sandeep Maan during the power minute, unleashing a barrage of takedowns, turns, and push-outs to race to a commanding 20-7 win and level the tie.

Momentum swung further Delhi's way in the 65kg men's category, where captain Sujeet Kalkal underlined his importance with a composed and authoritative display against Anuj Kumar. The U23 World Champion neutralised early resistance before steadily building his lead through sharp takedowns and turns to seal a comprehensive 10-1 victory and put Delhi in front.

Delhi extended their advantage in the 57kg men's category as Shubham Kaushik delivered a clinical shutout against Chirag Chhikara. Exploiting passivity and executing a high-value four-point throw in the opening period, Kaushik maintained control throughout to register a dominant 9-0 win.

Punjab Royals stayed in the contest through Rajnita Jangra in the 57kg women's bout. After conceding an early passivity point, Rajnita responded with immediate aggression, scoring a clean takedown in Period 1 before dictating the second period with superior mat control and another decisive takedown to claim a 5-1 victory.

Team Score after five bouts: Punjab Royals 2 - 3 Delhi Dangal Warriors

The 62kg women's bout between Ana Godinez (Punjab Royals) and Anjli (Delhi Dangal Warriors) is currently underway.

Tomorrow, on Day 14 of PWL 2026, table-toppers Haryana Thunders will face either Delhi Dangal Warriors or UP Dominators in the first semi-final.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
So proud of our women wrestlers! Priya Malik with a smart, tactical win and Rajnita Jangra fighting back brilliantly. They are the real stars. Hope PWL gets more coverage for the women's bouts.
V
Vikram M
The Iranian wrestler Bakhtiar was on another level! 20-7 is a demolition. While it's great for Delhi, it also shows the gap we sometimes have with international grapplers. Our domestic wrestlers need more such high-level exposure.
A
Aman W
Exciting league! But a small criticism - the article is a bit confusing on the points and qualification scenario. Could be explained more clearly for casual fans like me. Anyway, go Delhi!
S
Sarah B
Watching from Canada. The Pro Wrestling League is such a fantastic concept. The energy in Noida must be electric! Shubham Kaushik's 9-0 win was so controlled. Great to see Indian wrestling getting this platform.
K
Karthik V
Punjab Royals are already through, so maybe they are testing strategies. But Delhi is playing for their survival. That desperation is showing in their performance. Hope they make it to the semis to face Haryana!

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