Kakatiya Knights produced a stunning fightback on the opening night of Archery Premier League (APL) Season 2 at People's Plaza, Hyderabad, on 8 October 2026, defeating Mighty Marathas in a dramatic shootoff after trailing 4-0 in sets. Rajputana Royals and Chero Archers also claimed victories in regulation time to give the second edition a high-octane start.

Knights' Remarkable Comeback

The evening's most gripping contest saw Mighty Marathas dominate the opening two sets before suffering a stunning collapse. Nico Wiener and Neeraj Chauhan nailed the inner X-ring in the hit-or-miss shootoff to seal a 4-4 (2-0) win for the Knights, completing one of the most dramatic reversals the young league has seen.

Marathas' undoing was the substitution of Dhiraj Bommadevara — the Archery World Cup Final champion — after the first two sets. Bommadevara had been in blistering form, shooting three 10s and a 9 with his four arrows. His replacement, Mrinal Chauhan, struggled through the remainder of the match as Knights steadily clawed their way back.

Royals Begin Title Defence with a Win

In the opening match, defending champions Rajputana Royals set the tone early with a 5-3 victory over Prithviraaj Yodhas — a repeat of Season 1's final. Ojas Deotale and world No. 1 compound archer Ella Gibson delivered high-scoring arrows throughout, while Tokyo Olympic recurve champion Mete Gazoz was pivotal in closing out tight sets under the 120-second countdown.

The Abhishek Verma-led Yodhas showed character, pushing the match to a competitive finish. However, Mexico's Mathias Grande shot a costly 8 with the final arrow of the fourth set, denying Yodhas a chance at a shootoff. Notably, a disputed set in the second round — where one arrow was corrected post-end — swung momentum briefly in the Yodhas' favour, levelling the contest at 2-2 before Royals ultimately pulled clear.

Chero Archers Prevail Over Chola Chiefs

In the third match of the evening, Chero Archers defeated Chola Chiefs 5-3. The Archers raced to a first-set lead, with the Chiefs levelling at 2-2. A standout third set saw the Archers shoot an impressive 79 out of 80, effectively ending the Chiefs' challenge before the final arrow was released. In the fourth set, Chikitha Taniparthi and Rajat Chauhan could not apply sufficient early pressure, and despite a nervy 7 from Casey Kaufhold with the penultimate arrow, Chero held on.

Notably, recurve stars Marcus D'Almeida and Atanu Das both shot 7s at a critical juncture for Chiefs in the second set — a moment that would prove costly in the final ledger.

Awards and Day's Standouts

Despite his brief appearance, Dhiraj Bommadevara was named the best recurve archer of the day. Ankita Bhakat of Royals took home the best female archer award, while Nico Wiener was recognised as the top compound archer for his match-winning shootoff. Colombia's Andrea Becerra claimed the female compound archer prize of the evening.

What's Next: Day 2 Fixtures

On Day 2 of APL Season 2, Kakatiya Knights take on Chola Chiefs in the opener. Defending champions Rajputana Royals face Chero Archers in what promises to be a high-profile contest, while a desperate Mighty Marathas side looks to recover against Prithviraaj Yodhas. The league is scheduled to culminate with the grand finale on 18 October, featuring the top four sides in the semifinals followed by the title clash.