PKL 2024: Haryana Steelers edge past Patna Pirates, top the table

Haryana Steelers moved to the top of the table and extended their winning run to four games after defeating the Patna Pirates with a scoreline of 37-32, at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.

Mohammadreza Shadloui, Shivam Patare, Vinay and Rahul were all involved in a complete team display as they got the better of Devank Dalal, Ayan Lohchab and the rest of the Patna Pirates in the second game of the day.

The Haryana Steelers were quick off the blocks in this contest with Vinay getting them their first points. It was his two-point raid that gave Haryana Steelers the lead, before Devank levelled things up for the Patna Pirates.

However, the Haryana Steelers found their groove rather quickly and managed to get their noses in front once more.

They extended their lead to three points as Shivam Patare got some quick raids, while Rahul and Mohammadreza Shadloui helped inflict an ALL OUT on the Patna Pirates, to nearly double lead for the Haryana Steelers. It was a special moment for Rahul, who completed his milestone of 150 tackle points in the Pro Kabaddi League.

In a tightly-contested first half, the Patna Pirates kept themselves in the game and ensured they don’t fall behind by a big margin, restricting Haryana Steelers’ lead to six-points at the end of the half, with the score at 20-14.

Both sides were going toe-to-toe in the early exchanges of the second half with the Haryana Steelers keeping their lead intact. The Patna Pirates eventually pulled the trigger to try and mount a fightback, with Devank executing a two-point raid, and closing the gap for his team to three points.

Haryana Steelers extended their lead back to five points, courtesy of a Super Tackle on Ayan, putting the brakes on the Patna Pirates momentum with under 10 minutes to go in the game.

The three-time champions are the only team to overcome a five-point deficit three or more times in PKL 11, so there was plenty of life left in this contest despite the Haryana Steelers having a narrow lead.

It seemed like the Patna Pirates would once again pull off a comeback late in this contest. In a manic passage of play, the gap was quickly closed to one point with the Patna Pirates executing an ALL OUT on the Haryana Steelers. However, they handed the initiative right back to the Haryana Steelers after a costly error.

That helped the Haryana Steelers extend their lead back to five points in the blink of an eye. From there on, it was a matter of keeping their calm and playing it smartly to make sure they keep themselves in the lead with the clock running out. The Haryana Steelers eventually got over the line with a scoreline of 37-32, and are now at the top of the table as a result.

Gujarat Giants return to winning ways

The Gujarat Giants ended their seven-match losing streak after an impeccable performance by Guman Singh secured a massive 47-28 win over the Bengal Warriorz at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.

Guman’s 17 points, coupled with High 5s from Himanshu and Jitender Yadav, ensured a massive win that will do wonders for the confidence for Ram Mehar Singh’s team.

It was a very impressive start for the Gujarat Giants, led by their star raider Guman Singh. He bagged a quick four raid points, and this set the stage as the Gujarat Giants eventually inflicted the first ALL OUT on the Bengal Warriorz five minutes into the first half.

This start was well-maintained by the Gujarat Giants as the game progressed, while the Bengal Warriorz relied on their young raider Nitin Kumar.

Guman looked unstoppable, getting Nitesh Kumar and Mayur Kadam in a Do-Or-Die raid. This move effectively reduced the Bengal Warriorz to just one player, as Nitin was then successfully tackled by Himanshu to inflict the second ALL OUT on the Bengal Warriorz with three minutes left in the first half.

Led by Guman Singh, who completed a well-earned Super 10, the Gujarat Giants took an 11-point lead at the end of the first 20 minutes as the score read 24-13.

It was a similar show as the second half started, with Himanshu joining the party for the Gujarat Giants. He completed his High 5 after getting Arjun Rathi off the mat, while Parteek Dahiya inflicted a third ALL OUT on the Bengal Warriorz, with a raid that dismissed Vishwas S and Nitesh Kumar.

Jitender Yadav’s High 5 came after an unsuccessful raid by Vishwas S, giving the Gujarat Giants a comfortable 20-point lead heading into the final phase of the match.

For every point the Bengal Warriorz scored, the Gujarat Giants had an answer. Nitin Kumar completed his Super 10, but he was the only player who performed for the Bengal Warriorz, who went to on lose by 19 points.