APL 2025: Mighty Marathas Seal Semifinal Berth, Yodhas Hand Rajputana Royals Their First Defeat

New Delhi – The Archery Premier League (APL) 2025 reached a dramatic turning point on Thursday as the Mighty Marathas secured their place in the semifinals, while the Prithviraj Yodhas shocked the previously unbeaten Rajputana Royals, ending their seven-match winning streak.

Marathas Dominate Chola Chiefs

The day opened with the Mighty Marathas (MM) overpowering the Chola Chiefs (CC) 5-1. Both teams started strong, with Brady Ellison (CC) and Parneet Kaur (MM) consistently hitting 10s. But it was Dhiraj Bommadevara’s final-arrow 10 that salvaged a 76-76 tie in the opening set.

In the second set, under mounting pressure, CC slipped with a few costly 8s, including one from Deepika Kumari. Dhiraj kept his cool and drilled a 10 on the last arrow, sealing a 78-76 win and a 3-1 advantage.

The third set saw CC’s veterans Ellison and Deepika falter with three consecutive 8s, gifting the Marathas a narrow 75-74 win and the match at 5-1.

Chero Archers Survive in Shootout

The clash between Chero Archers (CA) and Kakatiya Knights was a nail-biter. The Knights’ compound duo of Nico Wiener and Jyothi Surekha Vennam led early, but the Archers stayed in contention thanks to steady shooting from Atanu Das and Katharina Bauer.

After a rollercoaster three sets, the Archers forced a decider when Rohit Kumar of the Knights failed to release his final arrow before the buzzer, handing CA the fourth set 77-67.

In the tense shootout, only 17-year-old Prithika Pradeep of CA hit the crucial yellow dot, giving the Archers a dramatic win and keeping their semifinal hopes alive.

Royals Stunned by Yodhas

In the day’s biggest upset, the Prithviraj Yodhas (PY) pulled off a flawless 6-0 victory over the high-flying Rajputana Royals (RR).

Captain Abhishek Verma led by example, opening with consistent 10s alongside teammate Matias Grande. Despite a strong fight from Royals’ ace Ojas Deotale and Ella Gibson, the Yodhas edged both the first two sets 76-74 and 78-77.

In the third, Verma and Deotale exchanged 10s in a thrilling duel, but the Yodhas’ composure held firm. Andrea Becerra’s final 10 sealed the set 76-75 and handed RR their first defeat of the season.

Semifinal Picture

At the close of play, the Rajputana Royals (7 wins) and Mighty Marathas (6 wins) confirmed their semifinal spots. The remaining two places remain open, with the Yodhas (8 points), Chiefs (6), and Chero Archers (6) still in contention. The Kakatiya Knights, with just one win in eight matches, are eliminated.

With inputs from IANS