Mighty Maratha Secures First Victory in APL Season 2 with 6-0 Win Over Chola Chiefs

Hyderabad, October 10 (Daily Kiran) : Mighty Maratha made a stunning comeback in the Archery Premier League (APL) Season 2, securing their first victory against Chola Chiefs with a decisive 6-0 win on Saturday in Hyderabad. After losing their initial two matches, the team, led by captain Mike Schloesser, showcased their skills without dropping a single set.Dheeraj Bommadevara played a pivotal role, contributing significantly under pressure. Known as "Mr. Perfect," Schloesser scored a perfect 10 with all six of his arrows, helping the Maratha team clinch their first win of the tournament. Chola Chiefs attempted to maintain their strategy from the previous day, relying on their compound archers to deliver consistent shots at the start of the set. However, two nine-point shots from Chikita Taniparthi failed to create the scoreboard pressure they needed against their rivals.Although Maratha's recurve archers scored some eights, the compound archers managed to win the first set 74-73. In the second set, Bommadevara delivered a "super 10" under time constraints, pushing Mighty Maratha to a 4-0 lead. Taniparthi again scored two nines, but the Chiefs brought in Colombia's Alejandra Usquiano, who was in excellent form that day. Despite a strong start from the compound archers in the third set, Deepika Kumari and Marcus D'Almeida couldn't maintain the pressure, hitting outside the yellow zone.The Maratha team remained composed, winning the low-scoring set 74-72 and securing the match before the fourth set. On Sunday, the Chero Archers will aim to continue their strong start against local franchise Kakatiya Knights. Meanwhile, Chola Chiefs will seek redemption against Prithviraj Yoddhaz. The newly energized Mighty Maratha team will face the reigning champions, Rajputana Royals, in their final match. The Archery Premier League, the world's first franchise-based archery league, is an initiative by the Archery Association of India.It features six teams and a total of 48 archers, including 36 Indian competitors and 12 top international stars. The league, held at People's Plaza in Hyderabad, will conclude on October 18, with the top four teams competing in the semifinals followed by the championship match.