Pro Kabaddi League Season 12: Puneri Paltan Dominate Maharashtra Derby, Jaipur Pink Panthers Show Nerve

Sport, at its best, is both performance and parable. Thursday’s double-header at Jaipur’s SMS Indoor Stadium reminded us why kabaddi continues to be India’s fastest-growing sporting league. On one end, Puneri Paltan turned the Maharashtra Derby into a defensive masterclass, outmuscling U Mumba 40–22 to go top of the table. On the other, Jaipur Pink Panthers showed resilience and attacking flair in a 45–41 win over Bengal Warriorz, climbing into the top four. Together, the games showcased two different faces of kabaddi: one of attrition and control, the other of speed and nerve.

Paltan’s Wall of Defence

If cricket often belongs to batsmen, kabaddi is increasingly becoming a defender’s game. Puneri Paltan proved that point emphatically. Recording 20 tackle points, including six Super Tackles, they suffocated U Mumba’s raiders from the first whistle to the last.

Gurdeep led the charge with a High Five, while Gaurav Khatri and Abinesh Nadarajan were brick walls in the corners. Stuwart Singh chipped in with eight raid points, but this was a night owned by the defence. It was less about flashy raids and more about denying U Mumba room to breathe.

The win also reinforced a structural truth: Puneri Paltan have moved from being a one-season champion to building a system. By investing in defensive stability and balancing it with opportunistic raiding, they look less like a team chasing form and more like one shaping the league’s grammar.

The Shape of the Game

U Mumba tried to claw back through Amirmohammad Zafardanesh, whose double-point raids kept the contest alive in the first half. But kabaddi is often about patience. The topsy-turvy exchanges eventually collapsed under Puneri’s discipline. By halftime, they led 15–10; by the final quarter, the gap had widened to eight.

The turning point came in the second half with back-to-back Super Tackles from Vishal Bhardwaj and Nadarajan. Once Puneri built a double-digit cushion, the game became about execution. Gurdeep’s High Five and a late All-Out sealed a commanding 40–22 victory.

For U Mumba, the loss raises deeper questions. In a season where raiding talent is spread across teams, failing to adapt against a defensive juggernaut can cost more than just points—it risks eroding confidence.
 

Jaipur’s High-Scoring Resilience
 

If the first match was a defensive symphony, the second was an offensive carnival. Jaipur Pink Panthers and Bengal Warriorz went toe-to-toe in a high-octane 45–41 battle, with the hosts eventually edging out the former champions.

Nitin Kumar and Ali Samadi were the architects of Jaipur’s win, each notching a Super 10. Their raids were not just about points but about momentum, swinging the game back every time Bengal tried to force the pace.

The Warriorz, for their part, were not without brilliance. Devank Dalal recorded his seventh straight Super 10 and crossed 400 career raid points in just 38 games—a remarkable milestone. Manprit Pardeep and Ashish Malik also contributed heavily, but in the end, their efforts met the wall of Jaipur’s collective resilience.
 

A Story of All-Outs and Comebacks
 

The first half belonged to Jaipur, who inflicted two All-Outs and opened up a six-point lead. Yet Bengal’s fightback in the second half underlined why kabaddi is a sport of inches. Malik’s High Five and Devank’s relentless raiding cut the deficit to three points with five minutes left.

But matches are won in moments. With the game on the line, Jaipur’s Iranian duo—Reza Mirbagheri and Ali Samadi—took over. Mirbagheri’s crucial tackle on Devank followed by Samadi’s audacious four-point Super Raid broke the Warriorz resistance. That final flourish not only sealed the win but also announced Samadi’s arrival as a raider of substance.

What These Games Signal

Two results, one lesson: systems matter as much as stars. Puneri Paltan’s victory showed how discipline, defensive coordination, and patience can outlast individual brilliance. Jaipur’s win, on the other hand, highlighted the power of composure under pressure, where big moments often decide tight contests.

Both teams also underline kabaddi’s evolution. Once dismissed as rustic entertainment, the Pro Kabaddi League now mirrors modern sport’s complexity: tactical depth, fitness standards, and talent pipelines. Young players like Gurdeep, Devank, and Samadi are not just filling jerseys; they are shaping narratives.

The Road Ahead

For Puneri Paltan, the challenge will be sustaining momentum. Sitting on top is easier than staying there. With defences tightening across the league, their ability to find balance between raiding and tackling will decide if they can repeat their Season 10 triumph.

For U Mumba, introspection is urgent. Over-reliance on individual raiding and lack of defensive coordination has cost them dearly. Unless they recalibrate quickly, their campaign risks sliding.

Jaipur Pink Panthers, meanwhile, have rediscovered belief. With two-time champions’ pedigree and newfound attacking firepower, they could quietly build towards the playoffs. For Bengal Warriorz, the silver lining remains Devank Dalal’s consistency, but their inability to close out games must be fixed before it becomes a habit.

Conclusion

Thursday’s double-header reminded us why kabaddi is a sport of paradoxes—low margins but big lessons, fast raids but patient planning. Puneri Paltan’s defensive domination and Jaipur Pink Panthers’ attacking resilience are two sides of the same coin: proof that Pro Kabaddi League has matured into a tournament where excellence comes in many forms.

For fans, it was a night of both awe and insight. For teams, it was a reminder that in kabaddi, as in life, winning is not just about brilliance but about systems, patience, and timing.