Puneri Paltan won the final of the PKL 2024 against Haryana Steelers in a well-competed match. Given the strength of the table toppers, it was evident that they were not going to get blown away in the final. However, Haryana punched above its weight and put on a good performance. In a final where things could have gone either way, Paltan emerged victorious.

Right from the first half, Puneri had a slight edge over Haryana. Both the teams deployed defensive tactics and waited for do-or-die raids to capitalize on the pressure of the opponents. It worked mostly for both the opponents barring a couple of sensational super raids. The first of it came in the first half from Pankaj Mohite, whose raid turned out to be the decisive factor.

Minute claimed a 4-point raid which gave a crucial 3-point lead for Paltan at the end of the first half. From 13-10, Puneri deployed more defensive tactics and played well as a unit. They did not allow the Steelers to be back in the game. Towards the last few minutes of the game, Haryana tried their best to make a comeback in the game. Siddharth Desai’s raid gave the fans a bit of hope.

Best team performance in a PKL season?

However, Paltan held their nerves to win the title. After losing the previous season in the final to Jaipur Pink Panthers, Puneri had a redemption, as they won their maiden title in the league. The absence of Mohit Goyat and Aslam Inamdar cost them a lot in the final of PKL 9. In the presence of the two, Puneri won the title. Many regard it to be the best team in the history of the PKL.

Their performances in the 10th edition of the league were top-notch. Paltan remained in the top spot in the league for the most part. They ended the league with just two losses to their name, beating all the teams in the process. They had a relatively easy game in the semifinal against Patna Pirates as they beat the 3-time champions by 37-21. They won the final by 28-25.

Here’s how the fans reacted to Puneri Paltan’s big win – 

Congratulations Pune

Hardluck Haryana

— 🇮🇳 Thomas Cup 🏆 (@Anmolkakkar27) March 1, 2024

People’s winner Haryana Steelers 😭😭

— @Gokulraj EEE (@Gokulraj_EEE) March 1, 2024

Feel for manpreet the man, 3 times despair in finals,🥹
And congrats the greatest kabaddi team ever Puneri,🎉
Also for shadlu 99 tackles,🎉

— Vineet Ch. (@hunych17) March 1, 2024

Well done Aslam and team but haryana Steelers been the dark horse of the tournament and fought hard 🙌

— Supreme-X (@Supreme_X_18) March 1, 2024

Congratulations PUNERI PALTAN!!
Unarguably the best team ever assembled in PKL history
Kudos to BC Ramesh, two titles as coach with two different teams

— Maestro Manohar (@MaestroManohar) March 1, 2024

That 4 point raid from Pankaj Mohite was the game changer and then @PuneriPaltan dominated throughout the second half

— ABDul Sohail (@Kingof9realms24) March 1, 2024

Ye tou hona hi tha …. From the very first point paltan was bang on 🔥🔥…

— chiya (@chiyuuuu5) March 1, 2024

This Season Puneri Paltan Team Playing UnStopable

— Mr Perfect 🤟 (@StarManjeet008) March 1, 2024

Actual coach of this Pune team is Anup Kumar 💥

— LEADs (@LoadingLeads) March 1, 2024

Lol one sided tournament for them too easy 🔥

— 🕊️ (@farziaspirant) March 1, 2024

Shocking news has come out regarding an Indian Hockey player. Varun Kumar has been accused of raping a minor girl in Bengaluru. A case has been registered in the Silicon City of India by the girl. The police have reported the same and are in search of the accused. The case seems to be a shocking one hearing the accusation of the victim. 

The woman who has accused the Hockey player of raping her is 22 now. It is claimed that Varun has raped the woman many times in the last five years, which is shocking. It is also being reported that Varun had promised the woman to marry in the past. The two met each other in 2019 via Instagram when the woman was just 17 years old. 

The woman claimed that Varun used to have sex with her now and then. Varun used to visit Sai Stadium for coaching camps in Bengaluru. The girl has complained against Varun in a police station in the Graden city. As a result, an FIR (First Investigation Report) has been filed on the Hockey player in Bengaluru. The police have been in the search for the accused for the past few days. 

‘He is on the run and a search is on to trace him’ – Police statement

Varun has been living in Punjab’s Jalandhar. The player belongs to Himachal Pradesh, a northern state in India. The police of Bengaluru have reacted to the case and claimed that he is currently running away from them. They added that the search operation to get hold of the accused is in full swing. “He is on the run and a search is on to trace him,” said a Police statement. 

Varun was a part of the Indian team that won the Bronze in the Olympics in 2021 at Tokyo. It was a huge achievement for India, as they won a medal in the event for the first time since 1980. Kumar was awarded a cash price of INR 1 Lakhs back then by the government of Himachal Pradesh for his contribution to the win. 

Spacestation Gaming (SSG) is making a comeback in the Apex Legends esports scene with this year’s ALGS. The organization recently announced the signing of the North American squad ‘PLP’.

The team features former FaZe Clan IGL Josue “Phony” Ruiz, ex-DarkZero fragger Brody “Xynew” Geissler, and the returning SSG veteran Joseph “Frexs” Sanchez, who has previous experience with FaZe, NRG, and C9.

Dan Barbou will be managing the team as their coach and analyst, r, He was the previous coach for FaZe. The team is set to participate in the ALGS Pro League in the coming weeks.

Team already qualified from NA region

SSG has already secured a spot in the top 10 of the North American region after PLP won their second match day. The teams held their own among some strong competitors like DarkZero, FURIA, and Disguised.

Frexs previously acted as an IGL for Spacestation Gaming in 2022 and 2023 and is making a return to the team. However, the role of IGL will be managed by Phony. The Apex veteran has already demonstrated his skills in LAN tournaments with FaZe last year.

While Phony and Frexs are known for their consistency, Xynew has also had time to refine his skills across various regional tournaments.

Fan expectations are quite high for SSG qualifying for LAN due to their experience. The team already has great firepower and a proven track record. All they have to do is coordinate with each other to become LAN champions.

Return of SSG

SSG previously took a break from Apex Legends rosters back in 2021 and were silent for the entire 2022. This was reportedly concerns about a lack of revenue sharing in pro-Apex

However, the team is back with some heavy hitters and has quickly become fan favourites and one of the strongest teams in NA.