Rajputana Royals Make Winning Start in Archery Premier League

Defending champions Rajputana Royals began their Archery Premier League (APL) campaign on a winning note, defeating Prithviraj Yodhas 5-3 in the opening match held at People's Plaza on Thursday. Rajputana won the first set 75-69, but Yodhas bounced back with a commanding 74-43 victory in the second to level the contest. The third set ended in a 77-77 tie, making the fourth set decisive. Despite a close contest, Rajputana held its nerve to secure the set 75-76 and seal the match. In another thrilling encounter, Kakatiya Knights defeated Mighty Marathas 4-4 (2-0) in a shoot-off after recovering from a 0-4 deficit. Mighty Marathas initially gained the upper hand with Dhiraj Bommadevara's impressive performance, but substitute Mrunal Chauhan struggled, allowing Kakatiya Knights to regain control and clinch the victory.

In the other match, Chero Archers defeated Chola Chiefs 5-3. Chero Archers won the first and third sets 74-69 and 79-75, respectively, while Chola Chiefs narrowly took the second set 71-70. The fourth set ended in a 73-73 tie, confirming Chero Archers' victory. Earlier, Telangana Sports Minister Vakiti Srihari officially inaugurated the league in Hyderabad, marking the beginning of the competition with several closely fought contests.