The second season of the Archery Premier League (APL) began in Hyderabad on Thursday, 8 October 2026, The Hindu reported. Defending champions Rajputana Royals won the opening match.
Opening Night Results
| Match 1 | Rajputana Royals beat Prithviraaj Yodhas 5-3 |
| Match 2 | Kakatiya Knights beat Mighty Marathas in a shoot-off after a 4-4 tie |
| Match 3 | Chero Archers beat Chola Chiefs 5-3 |
| Venue | People’s Plaza, Hyderabad |
The Opener
The first match was a repeat of last season’s final. Compound archers Ojas Deotale and Ella Gibson gave the Royals a strong start, with support from Mete Gazoz.
Yodhas, led by Abhishek Verma, fought back and came close to forcing a shoot-off.
A Lead Thrown Away
Mighty Marathas won the first two sets against Kakatiya Knights, then lost the next two and the shoot-off. They had substituted Dhiraj Bommadevara for the final two sets.
Why the Timing Matters
The league follows India’s best Asian Games in the sport. Archery brought home nine medals: five gold, two silver and two bronze.
India also secured two quota places for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, through Chikitha Taniparthi and Sahil Jadhav in mixed team compound and Kumkum Mohod in women’s individual recurve.
What the League Does for Archers
Chikitha, who won two golds at the Games, credited the league with improving her.
“During the first season, I learnt a lot about managing pressure under the faster shot clock as well as techniques from my teammates while watching them train,” she said.
Plans to Grow
The first season was held in New Delhi. League director Anil Kamineni said more teams will be added, and that the competition will move to a new city each year.
Source: The Hindu (7–8 October 2026).
Featured image: Dola Banerjee, Deepika Kumari and Bombayla Devi after winning team gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games (file photo). Photo by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
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