Telugu Titans secured a hard-fought 37-32 win against their southern rivals, Bengaluru Bulls, in the Mini-Qualifier at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium on Sunday night. Super 10’s from Bharat Hooda and Vijay Malik ensured that their side booked their place in the Eliminator 3.
Meanwhile, Alireza Mirzaian’s Super 10 wasn’t enough for the Bulls, but they will get another chance to progress when they take on the in-form Patna Pirates in the Eliminator 2 on Monday. It was an action-packed start with Vijay Malik and Alireza setting the tone, before Bharat Hooda’s two-point raid gave the Titans a slender lead.
The defenders also made their mark with Shubham Shinde and Deepak Sankar exchanging tackles. The Bulls got back on level terms with the score at 6-6 courtesy a tackle from Satyappa Matti and Akash Shinde getting himself on the board.
On a Do-Or-Die Raid, Chetan Sahu managed a two-point raid to regain his team’s advantage, keeping them in a 10-8 lead after the first quarter. Bharat Hooda and Aman extended that lead to four points, before Akash registered a couple of raids, including a Do-Or-Die Raid, to make it a one-point game.
The Titans ensured they kept their narrow four-point lead with Chetan Sahu and Bharat Hooda contributing, while Aman also secured a couple of tackles. However, Akash Shinde and Satyappa Matti ended the half strongly for the Bulls, concluding an engaging first half with the score at 16-14.
The second half began in a sedate manner with the defenders making the first move. Ajit Pawar bagged a tackle for his side, while Sanjay did the same. Bengaluru Bulls upped the ante slightly with Aashish Malik’s two-point raid, and they eventually got their noses in front as Satyappa Matti’s tackle helped them execute their first ALL OUT.
With a two-point raid, Alireza ensured that his team kept the lead with the score at 24-21. Bharat responded for the Titans, scoring a two-point raid of his own, before a tackle from Ajit Pawar got them back on level terms at 24-24 with ten minutes to go in the match.
With the game going down to the wire, the Titans began to take charge once more. Bharat Hooda completed his Super 10, while Shankar Gadai’s tackle inflicted an ALL OUT on the Bulls, giving them a 31-28 lead with under six minutes to go.
Vijay Malik stepped up at a crucial stage for the Titans, chipping away on the raiding end to ensure his team held on to their four-point lead with two minutes to go. Alireza completed his Super 10 on the night, keeping his team alive in the dying embers of the game.
However, Vijay Malik sealed the deal for his side, completing a Super 10 of his own to give his side the bragging rights in the Southern Derby, winning 37-32, and also confirming their place in the Eliminator 3.