Visakhapatnam, Sep 5 (IANS) The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) witnessed a historic moment with its first-ever Golden Raid in a tie-breaker at the Vishwanadh Sports Club in Vizag on Thursday evening. Dabang Delhi K.C. etched their name in the history books as the first team to register a win through a Golden Raid courtesy of Ashu Malik’s heroics, which included a Super 10 on the night.
The two teams forced a tie-breaker after the match ended with the scores at 28-28. They couldn’t be separated in the tie-breaker either, with the score at 5-5, before Ashu Malik delivered the game-winning moment.
Speaking on his match-winning performance, he shared, “It was a tough match from the start to the end. They had a very good defence. At the end, they had a lead of 2-3 points. Both teams were competing hard, and we didn’t expect that the match would go to the golden raid. We felt good, our luck was good that we won the toss and the match.”
His teammate, Fazel Atrachali, also registered a High Five, making a noteworthy contribution to his team’s victory. Heaping praise on his teammate, the Iranian shared, “At 5-5, I was not worried. I knew that we would win the match because we have too many good players like Ashu. He is our game changer.”
Further elaborating on the impact of the tie-breaker rule, especially for the fans, Fazel said, “Now Kabaddi is more exciting for the fans because a tie might have been boring for some fans. Now, it’s like basketball or volleyball, where every second and every play counts. We are enjoying it, and we hope the fans are enjoying it too.”
Despite the hard-fought loss, Aslam Inamdar was delighted with the way his team fought till the end. Giving some insight into the tense situation, the Puneri Paltan captain said, “My heart was beating so fast during the coin toss, and I was praying to God. It was their luck. They won the coin toss and won the match. But it’s okay, winning and losing are part of the game. We learn from our mistakes and move forward.”
Puneri Paltan head coach Ajay Thakur also gave his honest opinion about the tie-breaker and golden raid rule, stating that it adds another layer of excitement for the fans.
“The public will enjoy the tie-breaker rule. It is a very good decision for the fans. Whenever there is a tied match, they perhaps didn’t enjoy it as much. Everyone wants to see results, even if a team loses. So, this is very good for the fans. They feel satisfied. Now, Puneri Paltan have lost to Dabang Delhi K.C., and the fans will remember this result for a long time.”
–IANS
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