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The PKL12 opener at the Vishwanadh Sports Club in Vizag delivered a double dose of drama on Friday night as two electrifying matches kept fans on the edge of their seats.

Tamil Thalaivas narrowly defeated Telugu Titans 38-35 in a pulsating opener, while Puneri Paltan scripted history by clinching the first-ever league-stage tie-breaker in PKL history against Bengaluru Bulls, prevailing 6-4 after a 32-32 deadlock.

In the evening’s first contest, Tamil Thalaivas were powered by Arjun Deshwal’s Super 10 and Pawan Sehrawat’s nine points to overcome the home side Telugu Titans, despite Bharat Hooda’s nine-point performance for the hosts.

Arjun’s opening raid set the tone for the Thalaivas, who maintained a slender 14-13 lead at halftime. The Titans fought back in the second half with Bharat Hooda spearheading a five-point lead, including the first ALL OUT of the season.

However, the combination of Deshwal and Sehrawat sparked a late comeback, leveling the score at 28-28 before securing a decisive ALL OUT. Pawan’s Super Raid in the dying seconds sealed a 38-35 win, giving Tamil Thalaivas a thrilling start to their season.

The night’s second game witnessed history as Puneri Paltan and Bengaluru Bulls battled through the league’s first-ever tie-breaker.

Both teams were inseparable throughout the 40-minute encounter, ending regulation at 32-32. Aditya Shinde led Puneri Paltan with nine points, while Gaurav Khatri contributed four tackle points, including a High Five. Bengaluru Bulls’ Akash Shinde registered his first Super 10 of the season and a milestone 300th raid point, with Ankush Rathee also recording a High Five.

The tie-breaker saw the two sides trading raids until Aslam Inamdar made the crucial breakthrough, giving Puneri Paltan the lead. A decisive tackle from Dheeraj ensured Puneri Paltan emerged victorious 6-4 in the historic tie-breaker, marking an unforgettable moment in PKL history.