Ashu Malik caps off well-rounded team effort as Dabang Delhi K.C. beat Bengal Warriorz
Hyderabad: D Dabang Delhi K.C. bagged their third win of the season with an impressive 33-30 win over the Bengal Warriorz at the GMCB Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday. Led by Ashu Malik’s seventh Super 10 in eight matches, and contributions from Vinay and Ashish, they got over the line despite Nitin Dhankar scoring 15 points for the Bengal Warriorz.
LIVE MATCH
Bengal Warriorz started the game on the front foot as Mighty Mani and Fazel Atrachali hit the ground running with a bonus point and a tackle point respectively. The start seemed to be a statement from the Season 7 champions, but they didn’t make the most of having Ashu Malik being off the mat. With a solid effort on the defensive end from Dabang Delhi K.C, they kept themselves in the game in the opening exchanges.
It was Ashish who helped them level things up with a two-point raid. After the defensive units for both sides kept dictating the tempo of the game, it was a couple of errors from Bengal Warriorz that gave Dabang Delhi K.C. the lead. They carried on with that momentum in the closing stages of the first half, inflicting an ALL OUT to take a six-point lead. Ashu Malik had the better of his opposite number a couple of times too, ensuring that his team lead 19-13 at the end of the first half.
Nitin Dhankar picked up his Super 10 early in the second half, almost singlehandedly keeping the Bengal Warriorz in the contest.
Dabang Delhi K.C. continued their forays in the second half, with Ashu and then Vinay entering the party for their side. Nitin was the main aggressor for the Bengal Warriorz, but the support was lacking from his teammates. At this point, the skipper stepped up and completed his High 5 to keep his team in the game.
Towards the last phase of the game, Nitin Dhankar managed to reach 15 points in the gap and close the gap down to four points. However, Ashu Malik was in complete control, completing a Super 10 of his own and ensuring that his side went on to end their four-match losing streak with an impress win.
Preview for Matches on November 8
The first game of the day will see the Jaipur Pink Panthers take on the Patna Pirates, in what promises to be a titanic clash. The likes of Arjun Deshwal, Neeraj Narwal and Surjeet Singh will be keen to help the Jaipur Pink Panthers end their campaign in Hyderabad on a high. Meanwhile, in the other corner, the Patna Pirates have the young duo of Devank and Ayan calling the shots, scoring some big points, and they too will eye a winning end to their time in Hyderabad this season.
The second contest on the day will feature the Dabang Delhi K.C. side take on the Tamil Thalaivas. For the Dabang Delhi K.C., the game is a crucial one as they are looking to end a losing streak, while the Tamil Thalaivas have been in good form, with the talismanic Sachin leading the way.
Schedule for PKL Season 11 match on Friday, November 8:
Match 1 – Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Patna Pirates – 8 pm
Match 2 – Dabang Delhi K.C. vs Tamil Thalaivas – 9 pm
