APL Season 2: Mighty Marathas, Kakatiya Knights Secure Top-Two Spots With Wins

October 17, 2026

Hyderabad: Mighty Marathas and Kakatiya Knights bounced back from their defeats on Thursday to secure the top two spots in the league stage of Archery Premier League (APL) Season 2. The Marathas beat Chero Archers 6-0, while the Knights defeated Prithviraaj Yodhas 6-2 in a closely fought contest.

Both teams now have 12 points, putting them beyond the reach of the other four sides. With the league stage nearing its end, the fight for the remaining two playoff spots is still wide open with Rajputana Royals, Chero Archers and Prithviraaj Yodhas tied on eight points.

Earlier, Chola Chiefs caused another upset by beating defending champions Rajputana Royals 5-3, putting the Royals’ playoff chances under pressure.

Kakatiya Knights Edge Past Prithviraaj Yodhas

The match between Kakatiya Knights and last season’s finalists Prithviraaj Yodhas proved to be one of the most competitive contests of the day.

The Knights took the opening set 77-74. The second set ended in a 76-76 tie with both teams producing the same sequence of scores across eight arrows: X, X, 9, 10, 9, 10, 9 and 9.

The third set was equally tense. With the scores level at 67-67, Matias Grande and Neeraj Chauhan took the final shots for their respective teams. Both hit the X-ring, leaving the Knights with their two-point advantage intact.

The Knights came close to scoring a perfect 80 in the fourth set, but Neeraj narrowly missed the inner ring with his final arrow. Their score of 79 was still enough to secure the win and confirm their playoff qualification.

Mighty Marathas Sweep Chero Archers 6-0

Mighty Marathas produced a dominant performance against Chero Archers, winning all three sets to seal a 6-0 victory.

Dhiraj Bommadevara returned to the Marathas lineup, while recurve archer Alejandra Valencia and compounder Aman Saini also played key roles. Chero’s compound world No. 1 Mathias Fullerton scored a perfect 60, but his teammates struggled to maintain consistency.

The victory ensured that the Marathas finished among the top two teams in the league phase.

Chola Chiefs Upset Rajputana Royals

Chola Chiefs defeated Rajputana Royals 5-3, dealing a blow to the defending champions’ playoff hopes. The Chiefs moved to six points but remained out of contention for the top four because of their set-points difference.

The Chiefs relied on Alejandra Usquiano and veteran Rajat Chauhan as anchors across the sets. Usquiano continued her strong form, scoring 79 out of 80 after producing a perfect 80 on Thursday and hitting the bull’s-eye in the shoot-off.

Royals remain on eight points with one match left, alongside Chero Archers and Prithviraaj Yodhas. The final league matches will determine the playoff order.

Final League Matches Set Up Playoff Battle

Saturday’s schedule features four matches, beginning with a meeting between Mighty Marathas and Kakatiya Knights ahead of their expected Sunday showdown. Chola Chiefs will then face Chero Archers, while Rajputana Royals take on Prithviraaj Yodhas in a rematch of the previous season’s final.

The league stage will conclude with the first eliminator. Under the new playoff format, the top two teams get two opportunities to qualify for the grand final, while the third- and fourth-placed teams meet in Eliminator 1.

The second season of the Archery Premier League, organised by the Archery Association of India, features six franchises and 48 archers, including 36 Indians and 12 international competitors. The tournament is being held at People’s Plaza in Hyderabad and will conclude with the grand finale on October 18.

Best Archers of the Day

Each of the four standout archers received a reward of ₹1 lakh.