PKL 8: Telugu Titans end winless run, beat Jaipur Pink Panthers

Bengaluru, Jan 19 (IANS) Telugu Titans registered their first win of the season by beating Jaipur Pink Panthers 35-34 in the Vivo Pro Kabaddi League Season 8 at The Sheraton Grand, Whitefield here on Wednesday.

Adarsh T, who picked up multiple points in the dying minutes of the match, was a Titan for the Telugu team desperately seeking their first victory. He scored 9 points while Rajnish scored 7 as the Titans staged an incredible comeback to beat in-form Panthers.

Jaipur Pink Panthers dominated the first half with their defenders finding form in the early minutes. Vishal and Sandeep Dhull were impressive for the Season 1 champions who prevented Titans’ Rajnish and Ankit Beniwal from scoring points. At the other end, despite a mellow start, Arjun Deshwal picked valuable points including one from a crucial do-or-die raid to pile on the pressure. The Panthers inflicted the first all out with 5 minutes remaining to half-time to open an 8-point lead. Despite a renewed effort, the Titans could not close the gap as the half ended with scores 20-13.

The Titans staged an immediate comeback when Adarsh produced a 3-point Super Raid immediately after the restart to inflict an all out. The 5-point move (2 for all out ) made the scores level. Arjun Deshwal kept quietly picking up points for Jaipur, but the Titans stayed in the match with some dogged defending.

Substitute Galla Raju was impressive with his all-around work for the Titans while Arjun Deshwal clinched his Super 10 for Jaipur. There was just a point difference between the teams going into the final 5 minutes. Adarsh then clinched 3 points in successive raids to give Titans the lead with under 3 minutes remaining. Deepak Hooda’s 2-point raid kept Jaipur in a narrow lead, but the Titans got an all out with almost a minute to go to shift the balance. The 2-point lead proved good enough as the Telugu team kept calm to get their first win of the season.

–IANS

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