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Delhi Dangal Warriors Lead Punjab Royals 3-2 in Crucial PWL 2026 Clash

The Delhi Dangal Warriors hold a 3-2 advantage over the Punjab Royals after five bouts in the final league match of PWL 2026. Punjab's Priya Malik opened the scoring with a tactical 2-0 win, but Delhi responded with dominant victories from Vafaeipour Hadi Bakhtiar and captain Sujeet Kalkal. Shubham Kaushik extended Delhi's lead before Rajnita Jangra kept Punjab in the contest with a 5-1 victory. The outcome is critical for Delhi, who need a win to secure an outright semifinal berth.

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

  • Delhi leads 3-2 at halfway
  • Priya Malik won for Punjab
  • Vafaeipour Hadi Bakhtiar dominated for Delhi
  • Sujeet Kalkal's win put Delhi ahead
2 min read

PWL 2026: Delhi Dangal Warriors lead 3-2 against Punjab Royals at midway point

Delhi Dangal Warriors hold a narrow 3-2 lead over Punjab Royals at the halfway point of the final PWL 2026 league match. Follow the live updates.

"Capitalising on passivity... Priya secured a slim 2-0 victory to give Punjab the early lead. - Match Report"

Noida, Jan 29

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 in Noida on Thursday.

With Punjab Royals already assured of a semifinal berth on six points, pressure was firmly on Delhi, who require a win to qualify outright without relying on bout difference or other technical criteria.

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.

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

On Friday, Table-toppers Haryana Thunders will face either Delhi Dangal Warriors or UP Dominators in the first semifinal on Day 14 of PWL 2026.

Result:

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

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
So proud of Priya Malik! A 2-0 win against an international opponent is no small feat. She wrestled so smartly. Punjab Royals may be behind, but they are already in the semis, so they can play freely. Rajnita Jangra's comeback was also brilliant.
V
Vikram M
Bakhtiar's performance was a masterclass! 20-7? That's just dismantling the opponent. It's great for Indian wrestlers like Sandeep Maan to face such high-level competition, even if they lose. This is how we improve.
S
Sarah B
The article is very detailed, but I wish there was more build-up or context about the league standings for casual fans. The wrestling itself sounds incredibly intense. Hoping Anjli can pull off a win for Delhi in the current bout!
R
Rohit P
Shubham Kaushik's 9-0 shutout was clinical. That's the kind of dominant performance you need in a must-win match. Delhi's middle order really delivered. Now, don't let the lead slip in the final bouts! The tension is killing me.
K
Kavya N
As a wrestling fan from Haryana, it's thrilling to see the Pro League get such coverage. The women's bouts are especially competitive. Rajnita and Priya made Punjab proud today. May the best team win the tie! 🤼‍♀️

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