PKL 12 Eliminator 1: Patna Pirates Beat Jaipur Pink Panthers 48-32, Enter Eliminator 2 With Seventh Straight Win
Patna Pirates continued their winning run in Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 with a big win over Jaipur Pink Panthers in Eliminator 1 at Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium on Sunday. The three-time champions won the match 48-32 to book their place in Eliminator 2.
This was the seventh win in a row for Patna Pirates, who have been in great form during the playoff stage. The team will now face the winner of the Mini Qualifier match between Bengaluru Bulls and Telugu Titans in Eliminator 2.
Ayan Becomes Season’s Most Successful Raider
Patna Pirates raider Ayan was once again the star of the match. He scored 20 raid points and helped his team take control of the game from the start. With this performance, Ayan took his total raid points in PKL 12 to 273, making him the most successful raider of the season. He went past Bengal Warriors captain Devank Dalal, who had 271 raid points from 16 matches.
Ayan started the match well and scored four points in the first five minutes. This helped Patna Pirates take an early lead and then get the first all-out of the match. The score became 10-3 in favor of Patna Pirates.
Navdeep’s Defense Saves Patna at Key Moment
While Ayan led the attack, Patna Pirates defense also played a big role in the win. Navdeep scored a High 5 with seven tackle points and stopped Jaipur Pink Panthers when they were trying to make a comeback. His tackles came at important times and saved Patna from an all-out when Jaipur was close to turning the match around.
The defense unit earned 16 tackle points in total. Ankit also helped with four tackle points. This strong defense made sure Jaipur Pink Panthers could not build any pressure on Patna Pirates.
Jaipur’s Fight Not Enough
For Jaipur Pink Panthers, both Ali Samadi and Vinay scored 10 raid points each. They tried to bring their team back into the match on several occasions, but Patna Pirates defense was too strong for them.
After the first all-out, Jaipur Pink Panthers scored three points in a row to start their comeback. But Patna Pirates defense stopped Ali Samadi and put an end to that run. Milan then took out Reza to make the score 12-6 in favor of Patna. By the end of the first quarter, Patna Pirates were leading by seven points.
Patna Dominates Second Quarter
After the break, Patna Pirates got a super tackle chance when they caught Parvinder. Even though two Patna players went out, Vinay scored two points and saved Jaipur from an all-out. But in the next moment, Patna Pirates got their second all-out and took a 20-10 lead.
Ayan then scored a multi-point raid to increase the lead to 12 points. He also brought Jaipur Pink Panthers to a super tackle situation with his ninth touch point.
With his fifth tackle point, Navdeep caught Parvinder and Patna Pirates got their third all-out to make the score 29-11. This was also when Ayan completed his Super 10. Patna Pirates ended the first half with a lead of 17 points.
Jaipur Tries Comeback in Second Half
At the start of the second half, Jaipur Pink Panthers scored four points in a row to try and get back into the match. But Ayan’s return to the mat stopped their momentum.
Vinay scored a multi-point raid to make the score 20-33. Then the Jaipur defense caught Ayan with a chain tackle. Vinay also tackled Milan in the next raid. Ali Samadi got Ankit out and after 30 minutes of play, the score was 24-34.
Navdeep’s Super Tackle Ends Jaipur’s Hopes
Ali Samadi’s raid brought the first super tackle chance for Patna Pirates in the match. Navdeep caught Ali Samadi and completed the super tackle. This also brought Ayan back on the mat.
After coming back, Ayan closed all the doors for Jaipur Pink Panthers comeback. He also went past Devank Dalal to become the most successful raider of PKL Season 12.
What’s Next for Patna Pirates
Patna Pirates will now play in Eliminator 2. Their next match will be against the team that wins the Mini Qualifier match between Bengaluru Bulls and Telugu Titans.
The Pirates have won seven matches in a row and are looking very strong in the playoff stage. Their captain Ankit Jaglan said every player is taking responsibility and the team has faith in each other.
Head coach Randeep Dalal praised the team for working on small mistakes. He said the defense has been very solid and the raiders are playing with clarity. The team that started the season with losses has now turned things around at the right time.
Jaipur Pink Panthers journey in PKL Season 12 has ended with this loss. They had defeated defending champions Haryana Steelers in Play-in 1 to reach Eliminator 1.
