Haryana Hammers continued their unbeaten run in Pro Wrestling League’s Season 2 with a 5-2 victory over Delhi Sultans in the capital on Wednesday.
Haryana had the initial advantage as they won the toss and blocked the 74 kg men’s category while Delhi decided to block the 53 kg women’s category, thereby negating the threat of Haryana’s Sofia Mattsson.
Captain Abdusalam Gadisov of Haryana gave his team a winning start, defeating Delhi’s Satyavart Kadian 9-0 in the 97 kg men’s heavyweight category. Delhi drew level in the following bout, as three-time Olympic medalist Mariya Stadnik walloped Haryana’s Indu Chaudhary 16-0 to win by virtue of technical superiority in the 48 kg women’s category.
In the third bout between Delhi’s David Tlashadze and Haryana’s Magomed Kurbanaliev in the 70 kg men’s category, the latter emerged winner, attacking aggressively and effecting two decisive takedowns to finish 6-2 and give Haryana a 2-1 lead.
Delhi Captain Alina Makhynia overcame a stalemate-like situation against Haryana’s Kiran to win 2-1 in the 75 kg women’s category to make it 2-2. A pivotal moment in the match came in the fifth bout in the contest between two Indian wrestlers, Delhi’s Bajrang Punia and Haryana’s Rajneesh.
Bajrang attacked with single leg holds even as Rajneesh displayed nimble footwork to push out Bajrang from the protected area and score points. Both wrestlers exhibited tremendous attacking and defensive approaches; however, it was Rajneesh who managed to increase the points deficit beyond Bajrang’s reach, as Haryana won the bout 9-6.
The Hammers clinched the tie in the next bout as Tunisian wrestler and 2016 Olympics bronze medallist Marwa Amri won by fall 10-0 against her opponent, Delhi Sultans’ Apoorva Tyagi who had replaced key player Sakshi Malik in the 58 kg women’s category
A series of successive takedowns saw Amri score rapidly, as Apoorva managed to escape being pinned. Eventually, Amri defeated Apoorva with a decisive single leg tackle, pinning her to the mat and being adjudged winner in the process. With this victory, Haryana gained an unassailable 4-2 lead in the tie.
The final bout of the evening also went in Haryana’s favour, with Indian Olympian Sandeep Tomar pulling off an upset win over Delhi’s Erdenebat Bekhbayar in the 57kg men’s category.
