Kabaddi
PKL 2021: Telugu Titans hold Tamil Thaliavas to a thrilling draw
Telugu Titans held Tamil Thalaivas to a 40-40 draw with a sensational comeback during the dying moments.
The eighth season of the Pro Kabaddi League kicked off in Bengaluru on December 22. In the second match of the season, Telugu Titans squared off with their South Indian rivals Tamil Thaliavas and the final result was a thrilling 40-40 draw.
It was the Titans who took an early advantage, inflicting an all-out within the first seven minutes to lead 12-5. The Thalaivas, however, fought back, thanks to a super raid from Manjeet, to first level the scores and then take a 23-21 lead at the end of the first half.
The Thalaivas maintained their control for the most part of the second half and even inflicted an all-out on the Titans to 28-33. Manjeet once again stood out as he completed his first super 10 of the season.
Just when it looked like the contest has slipped away from the Titans, they rose from the ashes. Returning to the PKL mat after six long years, Sandeep Kandola competed for his High Five to keep his team within a touching distance.
Five minutes of absolute madness followed, during which the Titans scored 10 points compared to Thaliavas' 3 and even inflicted an all-out on the Surjeet Singh-led side to equalise the score at 38-38 with just a minute and a half to go.
Tamil Thalaivas did manage to take a 39-38 and then a 40-39 lead, but a quick and smart empty raid from the Titans meant that they had to go for a do-or-die raid with just five seconds left on the clock.
The onus to close off the match was on the night's most successful raider, Manjeet, and he succumbed to the pressure as the match ended in a 40-40 draw.
