Jaipur, Sep 23 (NationPress) Bharat Hooda contributed nine points and Vijay Malik added seven, countering Mohammadreza Shadloui's impressive performance as the Telugu Titans edged past the Gujarat Giants with a score of 30-29 in a thrilling match at the SMS Indoor Stadium on Tuesday, securing vital points in Season 12 of the Pro Kabaddi League.

The Telugu Titans executed a remarkable comeback to withstand a fierce challenge from the Gujarat Giants, clinching the match by the narrowest of margins and keeping their chances alive in the second leg of PKL 12.

The Titans struck first in the opening raid via Vijay Malik, quickly gaining momentum to establish an early 3-0 advantage. The Gujarat Giants finally responded with a successful raid from Visvanth V.

Trailing 2-6, the Giants benefited from a pivotal tackle by Aryavardhan Navale which brought them closer at 3-6. However, the Titans quickly extended their lead to 7-3 before the first-half timeout.

The Giants resumed the second half positively, earning a point through a strong tackle by Sumit, followed by a successful raid from Aryavardhan Navale, narrowing the score to 5-7.

Despite the Titans maintaining their lead, the Giants displayed remarkable resilience. Aryavardhan Navale further narrowed the gap to 9-10, and a decisive tackle from Lucky Sharma leveled the scores at 10-10, but the Titans regained control to end the first half ahead 12-10.

The Giants burst into the second half with back-to-back points, leveling the score at 12-12. Mohammadreza Shadloui played a significant role after substituting in, while a brilliant tackle from Rohit Nandal gave the Giants a slight edge. Shadloui's impact was immediate, scoring three points in three minutes.

The Giants' defense excelled, executing a stunning All Out on the Titans to surge ahead 18-14. The Titans attempted to counter the deficit, but the Giants maintained their two-point advantage during the second-half timeout.

After the break, the Telugu Titans began strongly, reducing the gap to 20-21 with a successful raid from Bharat. They then turned the game around with an All Out, leading 24-23 with just over six minutes remaining.

Vijay Malik extended their momentum with a crucial raid, pushing the Titans' lead to three points. However, Shadloui responded for the Giants, cutting the deficit to 24-26. In the closing minutes, the Titans surged ahead by five points, ultimately securing a hard-fought victory at 30-29.