Key Points

Puneri Paltan got off to a confident start against Bengal Warriorz, racing ahead with some sharp raiding from Aditya Shinde and Aslam Inamdar. Shinde was quick to make his presence felt, striking repeatedly with successful raids that kept the Warriorz defence under pressure.

The highlight of the first 10 minutes came through Aslam, who produced a Super Raid that got Warriorz defenders Nitesh Kumar and Parteek in one swift move. The raid tilted the momentum in Paltan’s favour. Despite Devank’s resistance, Puneri Paltan ended the first phase of the half with a four-point lead, with the score reading 13-9.

The momentum wildly swung as both sides traded blows, highlighted by two crucial ALL OUTs in the second phase. Puneri Paltan inflicted the first ALL OUT, in the 9th minute, with Aslam Inamdar — who had been the driving force in attack — producing a brilliant tackle on Devank to wipe the Warriorz clean.

However, soon after, Manprit’s successful raid sent Aslam and Abinesh Nadarajan off the mat, inflicting what was the second ALL OUT of the match. That gave the Warriorz a much-needed push after Puneri Paltan’s early control. At half-time, the score read 26-22, with no Do-Or-Die raids in the opening 20 minutes, underlining the aggressive intent of both teams.. The contest stayed finely balanced, highlighted by Devank’s early Super 10.

The third quarter of the contest saw Puneri Paltan stamp their authority on the game, stretching their lead. The Warriorz briefly threatened through Devank, who kept piling on raid points, but Paltan always had an answer. Aditya Shinde, in particular, was in fine touch as he crossed into double digits to complete his Super 10.

The defining moment came in the 14th minute when Puneri Paltan’s defence, led by Vishal Bhardwaj, tackled Parteek to inflict a second ALL OUT on the Warriorz. That blow widened the gap and gave Paltan a comfortable cushion. Pankaj Mohite then grew into the game with a flurry of successful raids, picking off the opponent defenders to ensure his side stayed firmly in control.

Despite Devank’s relentless fightback, the Warriorz trailed 37-28 in the final 10 minutes, leaving them with a steep climb heading into the final stretch. But a masterclass in defence from the Puneri Paltan kept them in the lead to the very end. The match ended with the score reading 45-36, as the Paltan secured an impressive 9-point win over Devank Dalal’s side.

- IANS