Pro Kabaddi League 2017: Bengaluru Bulls shock Puneri Paltan; Telugu Titans hammer Haryana Steelers

Sonepat: Bengaluru Bulls put up a stupendous defensive show as they snapped their six-match losing streak with a 24-20 victory over Puneri Paltan in an inter-zone clash of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) in Sonepat on Sunday. Kuldeep Singh (five tackle points) marshalled the Bengaluru defence as they scored 15 tackle points and controlled Pune raiders. [caption id=“attachment_4030895” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Bengaluru Bulls produced a stellar defensive display to beat Puneri Paltan in Pro Kabaddi League. PKL[/caption] Bengaluru Bulls are now fourth in Zone B with 29 points from 13 matches. Puneri Paltan are also in the fourth spot in Zone A with 32 points from nine matches. Bengaluru Bulls struggled to get into the game early in the first half as they trailed 0-4. In the seventh minute they forced a super tackle and Ajay Kumar scored the first raid point as they trailed 3-4. Puneri Paltan scored their fourth tackle point of the night as they led 5-4 after 11 minutes. Bengaluru Bulls led 7-5 in the 15th minute but Puneri Paltan forced a super tackle to level the match. Umesh scored with a do-or-die raid in the 17th minute as Puneri Paltan led 8-7. Both teams’ defences did most of the scoring as raiders struggled to get points. Puneri Paltan went into the break leading 10-8. In the first five minutes of the second half it was the defence of both teams that did bulk of the scoring. Bengaluru Bulls trailed 10-11 after 25 minutes. Both teams were tied at 12-12 after 28 minutes. Rohit Kumar scored just the fourth raid point for Bengaluru Bulls as they led 14-12. Bengaluru Bulls inflicted the first all out of the match as they led 17-13 in the 30th minute. Deepak Niwas Hooda scored two raid points in two minutes as Puneri Paltan trailed 15-20 after 35 minutes. Kuldeep Singh attained a high five for Bengaluru Bulls to give Bengaluru 23-16 lead after 38 minutes. Puneri Paltan scored a couple of raid points in the last two minutes but it wasn’t enough as Bengaluru won 24-20. Titans hammers Steelers Telugu Titans thrashed Haryana Steelers 37-19 to record a much-needed victory in the inter-zone clash of Pro Kabaddi League. Rahul Chaudhari scored 9 points as Titans won their fourth match of the season. Vishal Bhardwaj led the Titans defence superbly and scored six points to contain Haryana Steelers’ raiders. Wazir Singh was the only bright light for the hosts as most of their players struggled to get points on the board. Titans now have 29 points from 14 games but remain fifth in Zone B, while Steelers are second in Zone A with 41 points from 13 games. The home side scored their first point in the third minute as they trailed 1-3. Telugu Titans were the better team in the first eight minutes as they led 5-2. Steelers’ raiders couldn’t score a single point in nine minutes as they trailed 2-6. Titans led 7-4 after 13 minutes as Chaudhari couldn’t get into the raiding act for them. Nilesh Salunke forced Haryana defence to make an error and scored two points as Titans led 9-6 after 15 minutes. Wazir scored a raid point for Steelers as they trailed 8-11 in the 19th minute. Chaudhari scored his third point of the match as Titans went into the break leading 12-8. Steelers forced a super tackle in the 23rd minute as they trailed 10-12. Salunke scored three raid points in two minutes as Telugu Titans inflicted an all out to lead 18-11 in the 25th minute. The Hyderabad outfit kept the pressure on the hosts by picking up raid and tackle points in the next few minutes to lead 23-15 after 31 minutes. Chaudhari scored another raid point in the 34th minute as Telugu Titans led 27-15. Titans inflicted an all out in the 35th minute to lead 32-16. Chaudhari scored another raid point as Telugu Titans led 35-17 after 37 minutes. Titans were in desperate need of a win and their players delivered as they won 37-19 to pick important points. With inputs from IANS