Delayed homecoming: Arjun Deshwal leads Tamil Thalaivas’ clinical victory over Haryana Steelers in PKL 2025

The last time Tamil Thalaivas won on home turf, Pep Guardiola was only beginning his domination of the English Premier League, iPhones had just introduced the notch, and students were still relying on their own creativity, not ChatGPT, to finish essays.

That victory came in 2018 against Patna Pirates, when Ajay Thakur, now coach of Puneri Paltan, was the Thalaivas’ marquee raider. Thakur’s 14 raid points had powered his side to a commanding 42-26 win.

Fast forward to 2025. At the SDAT Indoor Stadium, in front of a lively crowd of 5,367, the Thalaivas finally broke their drought with a clinical 45-33 triumph over Haryana Steelers, lifting themselves to eighth in the points table.

It had not been a smooth build-up. Four defeats in five games and a subdued performance from star raider Arjun Deshwal in the previous outing had left morale at a low. The team began tentatively, conceding early points. But the home crowd— armed with drums, banners, and relentless chants—refused to let the energy drop.

The first spark came just before the break when Deshwal pulled off a do-or-die raid, narrowing the deficit. At halftime, the Thalaivas trailed 13-15, but the momentum was shifting.

What followed was sheer dominance. The Thalaivas levelled the scores immediately after the restart, and Deshwal unleashed a storm. Having scored just three points in the first half, he erupted for 19 in the second, tearing through the Steelers’ defence. His raids triggered the first All-Out and a decisive lead.

With Nitesh Kumar’s tackles providing backup, Deshwal notched up a Super Raid, completed his Super 10, and drove the Thalaivas into double-digit control after a second All-Out within 10 minutes. He wasn’t done: another wave of raids brought a third All-Out, sealing the contest.

Vishal Tate’s Super 10 and a late All-Out gave the Steelers faint consolation, but the gap was insurmountable

“We’d like to thank the fans who showered us with love. The motivation they gave us helped us big time and pushed us to go for more super raids which made all the difference in the end,” said Deshwal.

With the southern derby looming, assistant coach D. Suresh believed the statement win against a raider-heavy side could prove pivotal. He left the fans with a promise: “The fans will be served full meals when we meet Bengaluru this Sunday.”

Published on Oct 04, 2025