New Delhi, Oct 27 (NationPress) In an electrifying Qualifier 1, Dabang Delhi K.C. emerged victorious with a thrilling 6-4 win in the tiebreaker against Puneri Paltan at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium on Monday evening.

With both teams locked at 34-34 after the regular time, this match marked their third tiebreaker of the season, where the Season 8 champions ultimately triumphed, securing their place in the final.

Saurabh Nandal and Abinesh Nadarajan set the stage early with impressive tackles for their teams. Dabang Delhi quickly established a four-point lead with contributions from Sandeep and Surjeet Singh. Ashu Malik’s do-or-die raid helped maintain that advantage, but a super tackle by Gurdeep narrowed the margin to one point, making it 7-6 after the first ten minutes.

The turning point came with Ashu Malik’s do-or-die raid, followed by a multi-point raid that resulted in the first all-out on Puneri Paltan, granting Dabang Delhi a five-point lead. Surjeet Singh’s tackle extended that lead to seven points, seemingly giving the Season 8 champions a strong grip on the game.

Yet, Puneri Paltan responded with vigor, as Aditya Shinde and Pankaj Mohite launched effective raids. Their defense, led by Abinesh Nadarajan and Gurdeep, turned the tide, resulting in an all-out that leveled the score at 16-16.

This match was largely characterized by defense, with sixteen tackle points recorded in the first half compared to just eleven raid points. The trend continued into the latter part of the game, with Fazel Atrachali and Saurabh Nandal ensuring Dabang Delhi held a slim 18-17 lead at halftime.

The second half began sluggishly, reflecting the battle's toll on both teams. After some back-and-forth, Aslam Inamdar leveled the game, initiating a resurgence for Puneri Paltan.

A remarkable Super Raid from Aditya Shinde gave them a two-point edge, and with two tackles from Gaurav Khatri, they executed their second all-out, creating a five-point gap with ten minutes remaining. Shinde’s subsequent two-point raid allowed Puneri Paltan to tighten their grip on the match.

However, Dabang Delhi refused to back down. Neeraj Narwal’s Super Raid kept them in the contest, and with Ashu Malik’s help, they reduced the deficit to three points. Despite Puneri Paltan’s efforts to maintain their lead, Narwal’s pivotal all-out on the Paltan brought the game to a one-point difference with two minutes left. A tackle from Sandeep leveled the score at 34-34, leading to an intense finale.

With both teams fiercely contesting, they entered yet another tiebreaker, where Saurabh Nandal’s tackle gave Dabang Delhi crucial momentum in the second raid, and they seized the opportunity.

Akshit Dhull and Ashu Malik wrapped up the match, resulting in a 6-4 victory in the tiebreaker, marking Dabang Delhi as the first team to secure a spot in the PKL 12 final. Meanwhile, Puneri Paltan will have another chance to reach the finals in Qualifier 2 on Wednesday.