New Delhi: The Jaipur Pink Panthers returned to the top of the table after a brilliant 27-22 win over Dabang Delhi at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium in Delhi on Wednesday.
Delhi’s wait to qualify for the playoffs extends into another week as they finished their home leg on a sedate note. PKL Season 10’s leading raider Arjun Deshwal registered yet another 10 point game on a triumphant evening, as Ashu Malik’s battling 9 points came in a losing cause.
The Jaipur Pink Panthers got off to a flying start and by the time Delhi registered their first point on the board, they had already been reduced to four players on the mat. That collapse rolled on, and within minutes Jaipur had registered the first all out of the game to take a 10-3 lead.
Dabang Delhi slowly edged their way back into the game, and while their raiders managed to shake off the early setbacks their defence still hadn’t clicked together. Vikrant and Mohit in particular struggled through the half and did not get a single successful tackle from the three they put in. Jaipur went into the break leading by seven points and looking comfortable for another victory.
Dabang Delhi’s tormentor-in-chief was Arjun Deshwal, who extended his lead as the top raider of the season throughout the game. His consistency also meant that the Pink Panthers never let that gap slip throughout the second period, despite Dabang Delhi matching them raid for most of the game.
None of that mattered in the final quarter of the game though, with the pressure truly at its highest. In an electric three-minute stretch,
Ashu Malik and Ashish, in attack and defence, quickly pulled Dabang to within two points, with three minutes of the game to play. Ashu’s brilliant running hand touch to take out Deshwal seemed to have swung the momentum firmly in the home team’s favour and yet, almost immediately it swung back.
Reza Mirbagheri’s super tackle with 100 seconds on the clock widened the gap to four and also proved to be the killer blow for the Pink Panthers. The Pink Panthers ran the clock down smartly to take the points and take their place at the top of the table.
–IANS