PKL 8: Vikash Kandola shines as Haryana Steelers beat Dabang Delhi

Bengaluru, Jan 21 (IANS) Vikash Kandola did the star turn for Haryana Steelers as they beat neighbours Dabang Delhi K.C. 36-33 in Match 68 of Pro Kabaddi League Season 8 at The Sheraton Grand, Whitefield, here on Friday. The Steelers’ captain scored a Super 10 (13 points) in a dominant display by his team.

Coach Rakesh Kumar’s Haryana had a brief scare in the game when five players entered the lobby without a touch on the raider, but they kept calm to ensure they came away with all five points as Delhi desperately missed the services of their star raider Naveen Kumar.

Haryana dominated the first 20 minutes with Vikash Kandola taking up the primary raiding duties. He was supported well by Vinay and Ashish as they clinched an all-out close to the 15th minute of the game. The Delhi defenders had a poor outing with no successful tackles before the interval. With Naveen Kumar still out, the raiding duties had fallen on the shoulders of Vijay and Sandeep Narwal. The latter tried his best and was perhaps the only positive for Delhi in a first half that ended 19-11 in Haryana’s favour.

Krishan got two tackle points from the right corner for Delhi as they planned a comeback. But Steelers’ Kandola ensured Delhi remained on the backfoot with his classic fast raiding.

Fate had other plans for the Steelers though as five of their defenders followed Delhi raider in the lobby without a touch. The move resulted in five points for Delhi and put their team back on the mat.

Vikash Kandola delayed the all-out with the brave raiding that got him a SUPER 10 but Delhi eventually got it with seven minutes remaining to reduce Haryana’s lead to three points.

Upset by this reverse, Steelers looked uncertain in defence after the all-out as Delhi’s Neeraj Narwal picked up two 2-point raids to level the scores. But young Jaideep took the matter into his own hands in the dying minutes and pulled off two stunning tackles for Haryana, which gave them the lead and Delhi failed to close the gap with their raids.

–IANS

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