As the winners of the very first season, the Pink Panthers are riding a wave of momentum and aiming to reclaim the championship in what will be their third final appearance. In contrast, this is a historic moment for Puneri Paltan, who have fought their way into their first-ever PKL final.
The standout performer for Jaipur was Sahul Kumar, who dominated the mat with 10 tackle points. On the offensive side, Ajith Kumar stole the show with 13 points, outshining big names like Rahul Chaudhari and Arjun Deshwal. While the Bulls' raiders had looked lethal in their eliminator win over Dabang Delhi—scoring 30 points—they found themselves completely neutralized by the most formidable defense of the season.In._.DaFaBeTsPoRtS on December 16, 2022
The Bulls' young talent, Bharat Hooda, had a nightmare of a game, spending more than half the match on the sidelines. Whenever Bharat attempted to raid from the left, Sahul was there to shut him down from the right corner. It was a highlight reel of a performance, featuring a variety of ankle, back, and thigh holds, capped off by the moment Sahul hoisted Sachin Narwal over his shoulder for his ninth point. After more than two months of non-stop action, Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) season 9 has its two finalists and they are the two best teams in the league phase of the tournament. Jaipur Pink Panthers will play Puneri Paltan in the grand finale on Saturday, December 17. The Pink Panthers produced a sensational defensive performance to crush Bengaluru Bulls 49-29 in a one-sided contest. In the second semi-final, Puneri Paltan, despite trailing for large periods of the match, produced a stunning comeback to edge past Tamil Thalaivas 39-37 in a thriller.
Jaipur's defense has been a nightmare for every team they've faced this year. With Sahul playing at this level, Puneri Paltan faces a mountain of a challenge in the upcoming championship match.
The second semi-final saw the Tamil Thalaivas take an early lead, heading into halftime up by six points. With key raiders Aslam Inamdar and Mohit Goyat unavailable, Paltan was desperate for a hero. Pankaj Mohite stepped up in a big way, racking up 16 points to keep the game within reach.
The game's momentum finally shifted thanks to Mohammad Nabibakhsh. Although he only scored 6 points, they were clutch plays that swung the game in Puneri's direction. A late all-out against the Thalaivas gave Paltan a crucial five-point cushion, which they calmly defended until the final whistle to secure their victory.
Pro Kabaddi League: Dabang Delhi secures a playoff spot after a key victory
A brilliant super raid by Ashu Malik propelled Dabang Delhi to an upset win over U Mumba, while the Bengaluru Bulls overcame the Patna Pirates
Tamil Thalaivas cruise to a dominant victory over the Telugu Titans, led by strong performances from Narender and Ajinkya Pawar
