Dabang Delhi Win PKL Season 12 Title With Thrilling 31-28 Victory Over Puneri Paltan — Ashu Malik Leads Historic Home Triumph
In front of a roaring home crowd at New Delhi’s Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium, Dabang Delhi K.C. were crowned champions of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 12 after a tense 31-28 victory over Puneri Paltan in the final on 31 October 2025. The triumph secured Dabang Delhi’s second PKL title and capped off a remarkable season that saw 117 matches played across 63 days in four host cities — a campaign that has reshaped the landscape of professional kabaddi in India.
The final was a showcase of elite kabaddi at its finest. Dabang Delhi, led by captain Ashu Malik and bolstered by match-winning contributions from Ajinkya Pawar and Neeraj Narwal, overcame a Puneri Paltan side that had been the most consistent team during the league stage, topping the standings with a superior points difference. The result was a testament to Dabang Delhi’s big-match temperament and the electric atmosphere created by the Delhi faithful.
The Final: A Rollercoaster of Raids and Tackles
The match started at a frenetic pace. Puneri Paltan, who had arrived in the final as marginal favourites based on their league-stage dominance (88 points difference compared to Delhi’s 38), scored the first raid point through their star raider. However, Dabang Delhi’s defence, which had been the foundation of their playoff run, responded immediately with a strong tackle to level the scores.
By halftime, Dabang Delhi held a slender 16-14 lead. Ashu Malik, who had been the heartbeat of Delhi’s campaign throughout the season, was in outstanding form — combining his trademark agility with intelligent raid strategies that repeatedly exposed gaps in Paltan’s defensive formation. The evolution of the PKL into a tactically sophisticated league was on full display, with both teams employing zone defence and do-or-die raid strategies that would have been unthinkable in the competition’s early seasons.
The second half was a nerve-shredding affair. Puneri Paltan clawed back to within one point at 24-23 with 10 minutes remaining, sparking anxiety among the home supporters. But a decisive moment arrived when Ajinkya Pawar executed a stunning multi-point raid — earning a touch on two defenders and a bonus point — to give Delhi a 27-23 cushion that they would not relinquish.
Ashu Malik: The Season’s Defining Player
The PKL Season 12 belonged, in many ways, to Ashu Malik. The 24-year-old raider, who was acquired by Dabang Delhi at the Season 12 auction in June 2025 — a high-profile event where 529 players went under the hammer and 121 were sold — justified his premium price tag with a series of match-winning performances. His total of over 200 raid points during the season placed him among the top raiders in PKL history, while his ability to score in pressure moments set him apart from his peers.
The Indian sporting landscape in 2026 is increasingly shaped by franchise-based leagues, and Malik’s journey from a small-town kabaddi mat to PKL stardom mirrors the aspirational narrative that has powered the league’s growth. His combination of athletic ability, tactical intelligence, and crowd-pleasing flair has drawn comparisons with legendary raider Pardeep Narwal, who revolutionised the raider’s role in earlier PKL seasons.
PKL Season 12: Records, Format Changes, and Growth
Season 12 introduced several significant changes that shaped the competition. The revamped format included tiebreakers for the first time, a shortened league stage designed to increase the intensity of every match, and an expanded eight-team playoff bracket. These changes, implemented by the PKL’s organising committee in consultation with team owners and broadcasters, were widely praised for making the competition more unpredictable and viewer-friendly.
The season was played across four host cities — Delhi, Chennai, Jaipur, and Hyderabad — with each city hosting a leg of the tournament. Attendance figures showed growth across all four venues, with the Delhi leg benefiting from Dabang Delhi’s home-ground advantage in the latter stages. The model of multi-city hosting, also employed successfully by the Hockey India League, has become a standard feature of Indian franchise leagues.
The statistics from Season 12 underscore the quality of competition. Across 117 matches, raiders accumulated 4,834 raid points and achieved 170 Super 10s. The tackle charts were equally impressive, with 2,440 tackle points, 223 High 5s, and 73 Super Tackles recorded. Iranian all-rounder Mohammedreza Shadloui Chiyane, the most expensive signing at the Season 12 auction, lived up to his billing with dominant performances in both raiding and defence.
Indian Railways Dominate Senior Nationals
While the PKL commands the spotlight, the grassroots kabaddi ecosystem also delivered memorable moments in 2026. Indian Railways won the 72nd Senior Men’s National Kabaddi Championship, defeating Maharashtra by 18 points in a one-sided final. Railways’ dominance at the national level — they have won the title more times than any other team — reflects the continued importance of institutional support in nurturing kabaddi talent outside the franchise system.
The national championship serves as a crucial talent pipeline for the PKL, with several players who impressed at the senior nationals subsequently earning auction contracts. The interplay between the franchise league and the traditional tournament circuit is a distinctive feature of India’s sporting ecosystem, paralleling the relationship between the IPL and domestic cricket.
What Lies Ahead: PKL Season 13 and Beyond
With Season 12 concluded, attention has already turned to PKL Season 13. The auction for the upcoming season is expected to take place in mid-2026, with speculation mounting about potential franchise expansions and format adjustments. The league’s television and digital viewership continues to grow, and the addition of the tiebreaker format in Season 12 is expected to be retained and refined for Season 13.
For Dabang Delhi, the challenge is to build on their championship success and establish a dynasty. For Puneri Paltan, the narrow final defeat will serve as motivation. And for kabaddi itself, a sport that was once considered a rural pastime and is now a multi-million-dollar professional enterprise, the trajectory is unmistakably upward.
- April 2026’s Biggest PC Game Launches — Pragmata Scores 86 on Metacritic, Starfield Hits PS5, Hades II Arrives on Console - April 18, 2026
- Dabang Delhi Win PKL Season 12 Title With Thrilling 31-28 Victory Over Puneri Paltan — Ashu Malik Leads Historic Home Triumph - April 18, 2026
- ISRO Reports 36 Rocket Bodies Re-Entered Earth in 2025: India’s Debris-Free Space Mission Targets Zero Debris by 2030 - April 17, 2026
