Bengal Warriorz Fall Short Against Puneri Paltan in PKL 12 Clash

In a thrilling encounter of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) season 12, Bengal Warriorz suffered a 45-36 defeat to Puneri Paltan on Wednesday in Vizag. Despite captain Devank Dalal's commendable performance, scoring 17 raid points and achieving a Super 10, a series of costly errors allowed Puneri Paltan to seize victory over the young Warriorz squad.

Reflecting on the game, head coach Naveen Kumar acknowledged that minor mistakes were pivotal. Kumar stated, "The match was closely contested in the first half, with only a few points separating the teams. However, small errors accumulated, increasing pressure and ultimately costing us the match." He further noted that the young squad is still acclimating to high-pressure scenarios but is expected to grow stronger as the season progresses.

Although the result wasn't in their favor, Devank Dalal stood out with his resilience and determination on the field. The captain attributed a key moment before halftime as a turning point in the match. Dalal commented, "I was gaining points, but a mistake just before halftime shifted the momentum during our raids." He also acknowledged Puneri Paltan's seasoned squad as a decisive factor, contrasting it with Warriorz's new and youthful team. Dalal assured that the team is learning from their errors and is focused on improvement for upcoming challenges.

(With inputs from agencies.)