Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 22 : The Telugu Titans have been in excellent form in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 11, with eight wins in 12 games that have moved them to second in the league table.
On Thursday night's first game, the team - led by Vijay Malik in the absence of Pawan Sehrawat - clinched a nail-biting 31-29 victory over Bengal Warriorz at the Noida Indoor Stadium.
The win, spearheaded by Vijay Malik's impressive 14-point performance, earned heavy praise from their head coach Krishna Kumar Hooda.
"We held the match in our hands until the very end. The last three-four points were touch and go, but our defence played excellently," Hooda was quoted in a release from PKL as saying.
When questioned about handling the pressure of leading a team at the summit of the table, Hooda maintained a pragmatic approach.
"There's pressure when you're leading the team, but I try to communicate strategies clearly beforehand, and I execute what's expected," he explained in a release.
The veteran coach, however, refused to get carried away by their current position. "Being at the top comes down to numbers. We can't say we'll stay there - we'll put in the effort, but all teams are good and we have to fight. Success will be determined in the future," Hooda said, emphasizing the competitive nature of the league.
The win showcased the Titans' resilience, particularly in closing out tight matches. Hooda highlighted that his primary focus remains on delivering performances that satisfy their supporters.
"Our biggest opportunity is to perform well and make our fans and the league happy. We'll continue to give our performances, and time will tell how we handle whatever questions come our way," he said.
The Telugu Titans - high on confidence - will face the Gujarat Giants in the first match on Saturday. In the absence of their star raider Pawan Sehrawat, Vijay Malik has been their main man in attack.
Excellent performances from Shankar Gadai, Ankit and Sagar Sethpal in defence have carried the Telugu Titans to the top half of the points table, but they will need to be wary of the Gujarat Giants' raiders, who have proven themselves and have help their team to wins and ties this season.
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