PKL 12 Final: Rishank Predicts Thrilling Tiebreaker Between Puneri Paltan and Dabang Delhi

Puneri Paltan reached the final of Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 after a remarkable comeback, defeating Telugu Titans 50-45 in Qualifier 2. This marks the third final appearance in four years for the Season 10 winners, who will face Dabang Delhi K.C. on Friday.

Speaking on JioStar, Rishank shared his thoughts on the upcoming final between Puneri Paltan and Dabang Delhi K.C and said that fans can expect another thriller.

“Both teams are incredibly strong, and we can expect another thrilling tiebreaker in the finals. Whenever these two sides meet, we witness edge-of-the-seat action. When two evenly matched teams compete, such close finishes are bound to happen. I’m sure the final will be no different. It’s going to be an exciting and entertaining showdown,” he said.

He also commented on the game, emphasising Puneri Paltan’s composure, teamwork, and strategic play and analysed the Qualifier 2 match between Puneri Paltan and Telugu Titans.

“It was a fantastic game. I think Puneri Paltan truly deserved this win. The way they approached the match was remarkable. Their defense was solid, and the raiders were exceptional. Pankaj Mohite deserves special praise. In the beginning, all three raiders were struggling, but Mohite turned the tide. He played smartly against the Telugu Titans’ defense and kept collecting points. Once he set the momentum, Aditya Shinde took charge and never looked back, consistently earning raid points and completely dismantling the Titans’ defense,” he said.

Aditya Shinde’s match-winning performance helped the PKL 10 champions make their way into another summit clash as they aim to lift their second title.

“I am extremely happy with how Aditya Shinde performed in such a crucial game. Pune needed a performance like this from him. The way he played, fearlessly and with complete control, was outstanding. Scoring against a 4 or 5-man defense is never easy, but he did it effortlessly. That four-point raid was the turning point of the match. If not for that moment, the Titans might have had a chance to make a comeback. But that raid sealed the game for Pune. From that point on, the Titans knew the match had slipped away. Aditya played a massive raid at the perfect time,” Rishank said.

He also discussed Telugu Titans’ shortcomings and analysed what went wrong for the side in their hunt for the final, saying:

“In the pre-show, we discussed which team had the momentum, and we believed it was the Titans, coming off a strong win. They did start well, but Puneri Paltan’s confidence and discipline made the difference. Aditya Shinde’s 21 raid points were simply unstoppable, and we can expect to see him continue this form in the finals. For Pune, the combination of Pankaj Mohite and Aditya Shinde worked beautifully.

"On the other hand, for the Titans, Bharat was left alone, there was too much dependence on him. The team believed Bharat would score all the points, while others focused only on supporting him. That over-reliance cost them dearly. Meanwhile, Pankaj Mohite earned a crucial sub-touch point early in the game, which unsettled the Titans’ defense. Aditya then capitalised on that opening. The partnership between Mohite and Shinde was the key to Pune’s victory.”

-- IANS

- IANS