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Haryana Thunders produced a composed and resilient performance in the first semi-final to defeat Punjab Royals 5-4 and book their place in the final of the Pro Wrestling League 2026 here at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Friday night.
Entering the contest as table-toppers with four wins and eight points, Haryana absorbed early pressure before turning the tie decisively in the second half, underlining why they have been the most consistent side of the season. Punjab Royals, who finished fourth in the league stage, pushed Haryana all the way in a gripping nine-bout contest, as per a PWL press release. Parvinder was named Impact Player of the Match for his crucial comeback win that arrested Punjab's momentum, while Priya Malik earned the Fighter of the Match award for her stunning victory in the women's 76kg bout. Player of the Match honours went to Iryna Koliadenko, whose emphatic fall in the 62 kg contest proved to be the turning point as Haryana booked their place in the final. Punjab Royals struck first in the 57 kg men's category, where Chirag Chhikara controlled the opening exchanges against Rohit. A decisive takedown in Period 1 gave Chirag the early edge, and despite Rohit drawing a passivity point later, the Punjab wrestler held on for a narrow 2-1 win. Haryana responded immediately in the 74 kg men's category through Parvinder, who staged a strong second-period comeback against Chandermohan. After trailing through activity point and push-outs, Parvinder landed a crucial takedown and a late push-out in the Power Minute to clinch the tie on last-point criteria after an 8-8 tie. Punjab regained the advantage in the heavyweight clash, as captain Dinesh Dhankhar edged past Anirudh Gulia 8-6. The contest remained tight throughout, with push-outs and activity points shaping the early exchanges before both wrestlers traded big takedowns in the Power Minute, where Dhankhar's overall scoring proved just enough. Momentum swung further Punjab's way in the 76 kg women's tie, where Priya Malik delivered a stunning performance to hand Kajal Dhochhak her first defeat of the season. Priya's relentless offence ended the contest by fall inside 99 seconds, pushing Punjab into a 3-1 lead. Haryana began their fightback in the 86kg men's tie through Ashirov Ashraf, who produced a tactically sound display to defeat Sandeep Maan 5-1. After testing exchanges early on, Ashraf capitalised on passivity and a well-timed takedown in the second period to pull Haryana closer. The turning point arrived in the 62kg women's category, where Paris Olympic silver medallist Iryna Koliadenko asserted her authority. After absorbing early pressure from Ana Godinez, Koliadenko transitioned seamlessly from a takedown into a turn to force a fall, levelling the team score at 3-3 and swinging momentum firmly in Haryana's favour. Haryana took control of the semi-final in the 57kg women's contest as Neha Sangwan outclassed Rajnita Jangra 9-2. Sangwan dominated the opening period through push-outs and activity calls before delivering the decisive blow in the Power Minute with a four-point takedown, extending Haryana's lead to 4-3. The decisive moment followed in the 65kg men's category, where World Championship silver medallist Tumur Ochir Tulga edged Anuj Kumar 2-1 in a tense, low-scoring contest. With activity points deciding the outcome, Tulga's composure in the Power Minute secured Haryana's fifth win and confirmed their place in the final. The final bout of the night, the 53kg women's contest between Yui Susaki and Meenakshi, was decided by forfeit in Punjab's favour, bringing the tie to a close at 5-4. Final Team Score: Haryana Thunders 5 - 4 Punjab Royals With this win, Haryana Thunders advance to the final of PWL 2026. The second semi-final will see Delhi Dangal Warriors take on UP Dominators. (ANI)
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