Deepak Niwas Hooda produced an outstanding performance as Puneri Paltan crushed Dabang Delhi KC 39-34 to keep alive their hopes of making it to the semi-finals of the fourth edition of the Pro Kabaddi League here at Thyagaraj Sports Complex on Tuesday.
Both teams opened their account in the first minute with raid points. Hooda scored 17 points and keeps his team in hunt for a semi final spot.
Puneri Paltan are now fourth in the league with 37 points from 13 games while Dabang Delhi KC are seventh with 28 points from 13 games.
Kashiling Adake scored two raid points for Dabang Delhi KC as they led 3-2 after four minutes. Puneri Paltan led 6-4 after five minutes to Anil Kumar forced a super tackle for Dabang Delhi KC to level the game at 6-6 after six minutes. The raiders of both teams exchanged a couple of raid points in the next few minutes as Puneri Paltan led 9-8 after 11 minutes.
Kashiling Adake scored his fourth raid point in 15th minute to level the game at 10-10. Dabang Delhi KC conceded a tackle point in the 16th minute as Puneri Paltan led 12-10. However, Dabang Delhi came back to tie the game with a super tackle in the same minute. Anil Kumar forced his second super tackle of the match as Dabang Delhi KC led 14-12 after 17 minutes. Pune skipper Manjeet Chhillar failed to get off the mark in the first half as they trailed 14-16 at the end of first half.
It was a crucial second half for both teams as they fought to keep their semi-finals hopes alive. Dabang Delhi KC led 19-17 in the 24th minute and increased their lead in the next minute as Prashant Rai scored a super raid and revived key men Kashiling Adake and MerajSheykh. Deepak Niwas Hooda continued his good form and scored his eighth point as PuneriPaltan came back 20-22 in 32nd minute. He then scored two more points and inflicted an all out on Dabang Delhi KC as PuneriPaltan led 24-23 with 12 minutes to go.
Dabang Delhi KC tied the game at 26-26 as they sent Deepak Niwas Hooda to the bench in 31st minute. It was end-to-end stuff as both teams were level at 27-27 after 32 minutes and the game was heading for a photo finish. Deepak Niwas Hooda scored his 13th point in 34th minute as PuneriPaltan led 30-27. Dabang Delhi KC forced a crucial super tackle in the 35th minute as they trailed 29-31.
Deepak NiwasHooda was on fire as he scored another two-point raid in 37th minute as PuneriPaltan led 34-30. ManjeetChhillar scored his first point of the match in 38th minute as Puneri Paltan inflicted another all out to lead 39-30. Dabang Delhi KC failed to make the semi finals for the fourth straight season as they lost 34-39.
