The Tamil Thalaivas defeated the Bengaluru Bulls 35-29 at the SMS Indoor Stadium in Jaipur on Tuesday night, winning a match that might have gone either way. In what ended up being an incredible matchup during Rivalry Week of PKL 12, Raid Machine Arjun Deshwal’s Super 10 and Narender Kandola’s five points negated another Super 10 from Alireza Mirzaian.
With both sides matching each other in energy for the first ten minutes, the Southern Derby between the Bulls and Thalaivas got off to a scorching start. Ronak’s incisive defensive tackles and Arjun’s swift raids set the tone for the Thalaivas, who kept a slim two-point lead.
However, the Bulls were unwilling to give up, as Alireza Mirzaian and Ahmad Reza Asgari contributed vital points to keep their team in the game. Given how crucial a victory would be in this Southern Derby, both teams demonstrated a strong desire to seize the initiative early. The Thalaivas had a slim 9–7 lead at the 10-minute mark, but the game was so close that it could go either way.
The momentum completely shifted in the Bulls’ favor throughout the second half. The Bulls jumped ahead with vigor, but Alireza’s shrewd raids, including a game-changing ALL OUT, changed the tide. The Tamil Thalaivas were unable to keep up as Ganesha Hanamantagol contributed crucial points while Yogesh and Ahmad Reza played strong defense.
Despite Narender Kandola’s initial spark and Arjun’s attack efforts, the Thalaivas were overcome by pressure as mistakes began to be made and their raiders were routed. With their aggressive playmaking making the difference, the Bulls had taken charge and led 20–14 at the half.
The Thalaivas attempted to mount a comeback with three quick points at the beginning of the second half. The Bulls swiftly overcame the little setback, though, thanks to Alireza’s continued risk-taking and ability to keep his team ahead.
As much as Alireza attempted to calm the Bulls, Arjun took over with a string of forceful raids that finished his Super 10 and reduced the opposition to just one player. After Alireza was trapped by Nitesh Kumar, the Thalaivas regained the upper hand in this tumultuous matchup between the Southern Titans and delivered an ALL OUT just prior to the Time-Out.
The defenses grabbed control as the last quarter got underway, as both teams made good tackles. The raiders quickly regained their rhythm, though, as Arjun scored in a Do-or-Die raid after Ahmad Reza scored points for the Bulls.
The conclusion was still up in the air as the fiercely contested match entered its closing minutes. With their respective successful raids, Ganesha and Alireza helped reduce the deficit to three points. However, in a pivotal moment that finally sealed a six-point victory for the Thalaivas, Narender Kandola stood up in defense and took down Ganesha, the hero of the Bulls’ most recent victory.
