Jaipur (Rajasthan), Sep 18 (IANS) Puneri Paltan put in a dominant display to register a comprehensive 40-22 win against U Mumba in the Maharashtra Derby in Season 12 of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) at the SMS Indoor Stadium here on Thursday.

It was a defensive clinic from the Season 10 Champions, recording 20 tackle points (including six Super Tackles) as they solidified their hold at the top of the table. Gurdeep led the way with a High Five, while Gaurav Khatri and Abinesh Nadarajan registered four tackles each. Stuwart Singh contributed on the raiding end with eight points.

Puneri Paltan’s defence set the tone with Abinesh Nadarajan and Gurdeep registering tackles, before Sachin Tanwar and Pankaj Mohite registered raids to give their side an early four-point lead. For U Mumba, Amirmohammad Zafardanesh opened the scoring on both ends of the floor, making it a two-point game.

Gaurav Khatri for the Paltan and Sunil Kumar for U Mumba got their first points on the board as the defences continued to stay on top in this tense and aggressive encounter. Anil got off the mark on a Do-Or-Die raid, but Aslam Inamdar couldn’t do the same, which meant that the two teams were tied at 5-5 at the end of the first quarter.

Puneri Paltan found some momentum and managed to bag a four-point lead, but it didn’t stay that way for too long. Amirmohammad Zafardanesh cut the deficit down to one point with a two-point raid. The topsy-turvy nature of the game continued as Rakesh Rajesh completed a Super Tackle to retain Puneri Paltan’s four-point lead. In an intense tactical battle that saw Do-Or-Die Raids flying in, the PKL 10 Champions ended the first half in the lead with the score at 15-10.

With a Super Tackle from Vishal Bhardwaj early in the second half, Puneri Paltan extended their lead to seven points. That was followed up with another Super Tackle from Abinesh Nadarajan, ensuring that his side stays in the driver’s seat in this Maharashtra Derby.

There was no respite for U Mumba as their opponents continued to dictate the tempo of the game. It proved to be difficult for them to score points on the offensive end because the Puneri Paltan were delivering a defensive masterclass, holding onto a comfortable lead with the score at 23-15 heading into the final quarter.

Rinku kept the scoreboard ticking for U Mumba with four tackles, and Sandeep Kumar also chipped in to keep it at a seven-point game. Aslam Inamdar got his first point of the game with a bonus and followed it up with a Super Tackle to solidify his team’s position with a ten-point lead.

Gurdeep registered his High Five, and Gaurav Khatri followed it up with another brilliant tackle to inflict an All Out on U Mumba. Super-sub Stuwart Singh added the finishing touches with a Super Raid, ending as the highest scorer for his side and completing the rout to lead Puneri Paltan to a 40-22 triumph.

–IANS

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