Prithviraaj Yodhas survived a gruelling double-header on Day 10 of the Archery Premier League (APL) Season 2 in Hyderabad on Saturday, 17 October, first defeating defending champions Rajputana Royals 6-0 in a must-win league clash and then overcoming Chero Archers 5-1 in Eliminator 1 to keep their title bid alive. The two standout performers were compound archer Andrea Becerra — who finished the day with a flawless 120 out of 120 across both matches — and 16-year-old recurve sensation Gatha Anandrao Khadake, who posted 56 out of 60 in each contest.

Women Lead the Way for Yodhas

Gatha Khadake, just 16, demonstrated remarkable composure despite gusty conditions at People's Plaza. She opened her Eliminator 1 campaign with an 8 before recovering superbly to anchor Yodhas' recurve effort and eventually walk away with the award for best recurve female archer of the day — a feat she backed up from the morning's league match as well.

Becerra, the compound star, was simply immaculate. Across the Royals fixture and the Eliminator, she did not miss the 10-ring once, compiling a remarkable day-total of 120 out of 120. She shared the best compound female archer award with Jyothi Surekha Vennam of Kakatiya Knights, each earning a ₹1 lakh prize.

How the Eliminator Unfolded

Shooting in what was described as perhaps the toughest conditions of the season due to gusty winds, Yodhas and Chero split the opening set 75-75. The second set shifted the contest decisively: Atanu Das of Chero — in fine form through the tournament — struggled with rhythm, conceding crucial 7 and 8 scores that left his side on 74 while compound archers Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru and Becerra powered Yodhas to 77.

The third set was the most dominant passage of the match. Ganesh, Becerra, Gatha, and Matias Grande combined for a sensational 79, while Chero, despite a promising start to the set, fell away to finish on 75. The final scoreline of 5-1 reflected Yodhas' all-round superiority on the night.

How All Four Teams Reached the Playoff Stage

Both Yodhas and Chero had entered the day knowing a win in their final league-phase fixture was mandatory. Chero met that requirement in dramatic fashion, squeezing past Chola Chiefs in a 4-4 tie that went to a Hit-or-Miss shootoff — decided by a single perfect inner-yellow-ring shot from Compound World No. 1 Mathias Fullerton.

Earlier in the day, Kakatiya Knights announced themselves as the team to beat, dismantling Mighty Marathas 6-0 to finish as table-toppers. Recurve male archer of the day Marcus D'Almeida of Chola Chiefs and compound male Nico Wiener of the Knights also earned ₹1 lakh apiece.

What the Day's Scores Say

The full Day 10 scorecards read: Kakatiya Knights 6-0 Mighty Marathas (77-69, 72-64, 78-74); Chero Archers 4-4 Chola Chiefs, with Chero winning the shootout 1-0; Prithviraaj Yodhas 6-0 Rajputana Royals (76-73, 74-72, 78-73); and Prithviraaj Yodhas 5-1 Chero Archers (75-75, 77-74, 79-75) in Eliminator 1.

What Happens Next: Sunday's Road to the Final

The APL Season 2 grand finale is set for Sunday, 18 October at People's Plaza, Hyderabad. Action opens with a rematch between Mighty Marathas and Kakatiya Knights — the winner progresses directly to the final. The loser then faces Prithviraaj Yodhas in a second knockout bout, with the survivor of that clash meeting the Knights or Marathas winner in the season decider. The Archery Premier League, the world's first franchise-based archery league — initiated by the Archery Association of India (AAI) and featuring six teams, 48 archers (36 Indians and 12 elite international stars) — is set for a thrilling conclusion.