Hyderabad, October 14: Prithviraaj Yodhas registered a convincing 5-1 victory over Chero Archers in the Archery Premier League (APL) Season 2 on Wednesday, handing their opponents a third consecutive defeat and strengthening their push for a place in the semifinals.
Led by an impressive performance from 16-year-old recurve archer Gatha Anandrao Khadake and Asian Games compound medallist Ganesh Thirumuru, the Yodhas bounced back from a recent slump to secure a crucial win at People’s Plaza in Hyderabad.
Khadake shot an outstanding 58 out of a possible 60, while Thirumuru contributed a score of 59 to help the Yodhas dominate the contest.
The two teams had produced a closely fought encounter in their previous meeting, which required three sudden-death tiebreakers to determine the winner. Wednesday’s reverse fixture, however, proved far more straightforward for the Yodhas.
The opening set ended in a 75-75 tie, suggesting another close contest was on the cards. However, Chero Archers lost momentum in the second set after Kumkum Mohod, running short of time to release her final arrow, managed only a seven. The Yodhas capitalised on the opportunity, finishing strongly with four 10s to take the set 77-75.
Chero introduced American archer Casey Kaufhold in place of Mohod for the third set, but the change failed to turn the contest around. Kaufhold opened with an eight, giving the Yodhas an opportunity to extend their advantage. Khadake delivered two 10s in the set, while Mathias Grande held his nerve to help seal a 77-74 win and complete the 5-1 victory.
The result takes Prithviraaj Yodhas to eight points, while Chero Archers will look to halt their losing streak as the league phase approaches its decisive stage.
Thursday’s fixtures promise further action, with the Yodhas taking on Chola Chiefs in the opening match. Defending champions Rajputana Royals will then face the in-form Mighty Marathas, before local franchise Kakatiya Knights meet Chero Archers in the final match of the day.
The world’s first franchise-based archery league, initiated by the Archery Association of India, features six teams and 48 archers, including 36 Indians and 12 international competitors. The tournament will conclude on October 18, with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals before the title clash.
The Archery Premier League Season 2 is being broadcast on SonyLIV, Doordarshan, the Archery Association of India YouTube channel and Archery+. Tickets are available through District by Zomato.