Three-time champions Patna Pirates made it six wins in six games by eliminating former champions U Mumba after a 40-31 win in Season 12 of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL)_at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium in New Delhi in Play-in 2 on Saturday.
Ayan scored 14 points, but it was a defensive masterclass that saw 16 points led by Navdeep (7) and Ankit (4) that took the Pirates into the Eliminator 1, where they will play the Jaipur Pink Panthers. Both sides started the match as they meant to go on, exchanging early points to keep the fans on their seats.
The Pirates’ star raider Ayan Lohchab was tackled by Amirmohammad Zafardanesh in the very first raid of the match, but U Mumba struck back immediately after Sandeep got a touch on Deepak. For every point scored by U Mumba, the Pirates had a response.
Milan Dahiya got a two-point raid with touches on Parvesh Bhainswal and Vijay Kumar, but soon after Ajit Chouhan’s Super Raid that got Ayan, Navdeep, and Balaji D., ensuring the match was even and the score read 10-9 in favour of U Mumba after the first 10 minutes.
As the second quarter kicked off, Ayan was tackled by Vijay Kumar, but then Pirates skipper Ankit got a Super Tackle after he stopped Sandeep in his tracks. The lead extended to two points in favour of the Pirates, with Navdeep tackling Ajit Chouhan and then getting Sandeep as well.
An unforced error from Sunil Kumar and Parvesh Bhainswal gave the Pirates the advantage, as the score difference went to four. The All Out was inflicted on U Mumba soon after, after Ayan tackled Zafardanesh, then got a touch on Vijay Kumar, before Sachin Narwal was tackled by Deepak.
This extended the lead for the Pirates to seven points, but a couple of points in favour of the season 2 PKL champions took the score to 20-15 at the end of the first half. The thrust of the Pirates continued at the start of the second half, but it was too close to call.
U Mumba’s Ajit Chouhan got a bonus point, and then Sandeep got a bonus point on Deepak, but soon after, Ayan got Parvesh. The lead extended to six points after a two-point raid from Ayan, with the score at 27-21 at the end of the third quarter, setting up an important final 10 minutes in the Play-ins.
U Mumba had just three players on the mat, but they were reduced to two after Sachin Narwal was tackled by Navdeep in a do-or-die raid. Ayan got Lokesh Ghosliya in his own do-or-die raid as the star raider completed his Super 10, before Navdeep achieved his High Five with a tackle on Satish Kannan, inflicting a second All Out on U Mumba.
This felt like the final nail in the coffin as the lead extended to 10 points. With all on the line for the season 2 champions, Rinku got a tackle on Ayan, and then Ajit Chouhan got a bonus point. He struck once again with a two-point raid, trapping Navdeep and Balaji D, reducing the deficit to six points.
Substitute Sudhakar M stepped up for the Pirates with a touch point off Parvesh, but in the very next raid, the dangerous Ayan was off the mat after a touch from Ajit, which got him to his Super 10 as well. The prowess of U Mumba reduced the Pirates to three players.
With one minute on the clock, Navdeep’s Super Tackle on Ajit Chouhan, followed by Milan Dahiya’s successful raid, effectively ended the match. Ayan finished off with a Super Raid as the Pirates beat U Mumba by nine points.