New Delhi, Oct 31 (NationPress) In front of a packed home crowd, Dabang Delhi K.C. celebrated their victory as champions of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 12, triumphing with a thrilling score of 31-28 against Puneri Paltan at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium on Friday. This victory marks their second PKL title, having previously clinched the championship in Season 8 under the leadership of current head coach Joginder Narwal.

This achievement makes Dabang Delhi the first home team to lift the trophy since U Mumba did so in Season 2. Fazel Atrachali also became the most successful foreign player in the history of the PKL.

Neeraj Narwal and Ajinkya Pawar were pivotal in the match, scoring eight and six points respectively. For Puneri Paltan, Aditya Shinde recorded a Super 10, while Abinesh Nadarajan managed four tackle points, although their efforts fell short.

As has been the trend throughout the season, Aslam Inamdar and Ashu Malik were the first to score for their teams in the grand finale. Neeraj Narwal then took charge for Dabang Delhi, executing a two-point raid and a tackle, giving his team a four-point lead early on.

Puneri Paltan responded well, with Gaurav Khatri achieving a couple of Super Tackles to narrow the deficit to a single point. As the pace of the game slowed, Ajinkya Pawar ensured that Dabang Delhi maintained a two-point lead by the end of the first quarter.

Abinesh Nadarajan registered a third Super Tackle for Puneri Paltan, keeping the game tight, but Ajinkya Pawar inflicted the first All Out of the match with just under five minutes remaining in the first half, allowing Dabang Delhi to establish a six-point lead.

The home team continued to dominate, highlighted by Neeraj Narwal’s Super Raid, which extended their advantage to eight points. Although Puneri Paltan attempted to respond with a tackle from Pankaj Mohite and a two-point raid from Aditya Shinde, Ajinkya Pawar quickly countered with his own multi-point raid, keeping the score at 20-14 at halftime.

The second half began slowly, with Dabang Delhi keen to protect their lead. Puneri Paltan fought hard to stage a comeback, relying on their defense and Do-Or-Die strategy to reduce the gap to four points. A crucial Super Tackle from Dabang Delhi helped them maintain a six-point advantage as they entered the final quarter with a score of 24-18.

Ashu Malik scored his first point of the match, and a Super Tackle from Anurag restored an eight-point lead for Dabang Delhi, positioning them favorably. Nevertheless, Puneri Paltan showed resilience, with a tackle from Mohd Amaan and a series of successful raids from Aditya Shinde, managing to achieve a timely All Out and closing the score to 28-25 as the match approached its final minutes.

The game became nail-bitingly close as the raider brought it down to just one point. However, Neeraj Narwal quickly regained a three-point lead for Dabang Delhi. Aditya Shinde completed his Super 10 with a two-point raid, leaving only a solitary point between the teams as the match neared its conclusion. In a critical moment, Fazel Atrachali showcased his experience, scoring his first point of the night through a tackle on Aditya Shinde, ultimately securing a second trophy for Dabang Delhi K.C. in their own backyard.