Archery Premier League: Chero Archers, Prithviraaj Yodhas Extend Winning Runs as Mighty Marathas Stun Royals

Chero Archers and Prithviraaj Yodhas strengthened their positions at the top of the Archery Premier League Season 2 standings with convincing victories on Sunday, while Mighty Marathas continued their resurgence by defeating defending champions Rajputana Royals 5-3 in a thrilling encounter at People’s Plaza in Hyderabad.

Chero began Day 4 with a commanding 6-0 win over Kakatiya Knights, before Prithviraaj Yodhas defeated Chola Chiefs 6-2 to register their third consecutive victory. The day’s most dramatic contest came in the final match, where the Marathas held their nerve to secure back-to-back wins and inflict a third successive defeat on the Royals.

After four matches, Chero Archers and Prithviraaj Yodhas lead the standings with six points each. Chola Chiefs and Rajputana Royals remain at the bottom, having managed just one victory so far.

Chero Archers bounced back emphatically after their narrow defeat on Saturday, producing a strong team performance to beat local franchise Kakatiya Knights 6-0. Atanu Das continued his impressive form, earning recognition as the best male recurve archer of the day with an average score of 9.67. His consistency proved crucial as Chero maintained control throughout the match and prevented the Knights from gaining a foothold.

Kakatiya made a significant change to their starting lineup, replacing Austrian compound star Nico Wiener with Shivshankar Landkar. Landkar and compound archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam produced encouraging performances, but Chero’s combination of recurve precision and compound strength proved too difficult to overcome.

World No. 1 compound archer Mathias Fullerton was particularly influential, finishing as the highest scorer of the match with 59 points from six arrows. The Danish star outscored Sahil Rajesh Jadhav and provided Chero with a reliable scoring platform.

The opening set saw Chero recover from a low final-arrow 6 by Casey Kaufhold, as their first seven arrows had already produced an impressive 69 out of 70. The team carried that momentum into the second set, where Das delivered an X-ring shot at the centre of the target face.

The third set was more closely contested, with both teams level at 38-38 after four arrows each. Kakatiya needed to win the set to remain in contention, but the pressure increased as the contest approached its conclusion. Das delivered another 10, and Kaufhold followed with a crucial shot to complete the set and confirm Chero’s comprehensive victory.

Young Gatha Khadake Helps Yodhas Continue Winning Run

Prithviraaj Yodhas followed their impressive performance from the previous day by defeating Chola Chiefs 6-2. Sixteen-year-old recurve archer Gatha Khadake emerged as a key contributor, producing important arrows under pressure. Her 10 to close the third set helped Yodhas secure a narrow 77-76 advantage, a result that proved decisive in maintaining their momentum.

Chola Chiefs again attempted to put pressure on their opponents by deploying their compound archers consecutively at the start of sets. However, inconsistency prevented them from sustaining the scoring levels needed to challenge the Yodhas. The result gave Yodhas their third victory in four matches and kept them level with Chero Archers at the top of the standings. Their ability to produce accurate shots at critical moments has become an important feature of their campaign.

For Chola Chiefs, the defeat represented another missed opportunity to build momentum. With only one win from four matches, they will need greater consistency from their archers to revive their campaign.

The most dramatic encounter of the day saw Mighty Marathas defeat defending champions Rajputana Royals 5-3, completing a second consecutive victory after their emphatic win over Chola Chiefs on Saturday.

The Royals began strongly, with compound archer Kushal Dalal, selected ahead of Ojas Deotale, helping establish the early rhythm. Tokyo Olympic champion Mete Gazoz also delivered a high-pressure 10 as the defending champions sought to recover from their difficult start to the season.

However, the Marathas responded in the second set, led by India's star recurve archer Dhiraj Bommadevara. His strong performance helped the team regain momentum, while Simranjeet Kaur improved after a slower start. Compound star Mike Schloesser, known as Mr Perfect, also continued his reliable scoring form.

The teams split a closely contested third set, leaving the match delicately balanced at 3-3 before the decisive fourth set. The final exchange developed into a tense battle between Bommadevara and Gazoz, with both teams facing the pressure of the clock and less than 10 seconds remaining. Bommadevara's arrow appeared costly when it landed in the 8-ring, but Gazoz could manage only a 7.

The unexpected outcome handed the Marathas the advantage, prompting celebrations as they completed a memorable victory. The result extended their resurgence and left the defending champions facing a third consecutive defeat.

The day's best archer awards, carrying ₹1 lakh each, went to Atanu Das in men's recurve, Ankita Bhakat in women's recurve, Kushal Dalal in men's compound and Ella Gibson in women's compound.

Monday's programme begins with a meeting between Chero Archers and Mighty Marathas, bringing together two teams currently enjoying strong form. Rajputana Royals will then face Chola Chiefs in a crucial contest between sides seeking to climb away from the bottom of the standings. Prithviraaj Yodhas will meet Kakatiya Knights in the final match.

Season 2 of the Archery Premier League features six franchises and 48 archers, including 36 Indians and 12 international stars. Organised by the Archery Association of India, the competition will continue in Hyderabad until October 18, when the top four teams will contest the semifinals before the final.

With Chero Archers and Prithviraaj Yodhas setting the pace, the Marathas gaining momentum and the defending champions struggling for results, the race for the semifinal places is becoming increasingly competitive.