Haryana Steelers Clash with Patna Pirates for the Ultimate Title
Haryana Steelers, last year’s runner-up, have reached the final stage of Pro Kabaddi League season 11. They will face the Patna Pirates, the most successful team in PKL history. The much-anticipated final will take place at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune, on 29th December 2024.
Haryana Steelers make back-to-back finals
Haryana Steelers have made it to the finals of PKL 11. Last season, the team from the North had to settle for second place after losing against Puneri Paltan. This time, they are in the finals and will be eyeing their first title.
UP Yoddhas stood in the way of the Steelers. Haryana had already ended the league stage on the top of the table. They were facing the winner of the first play-off match. This ended up to be a low scoring contest that Steelers took by a scoreline of 28-25. The match was intense and went down the wire.
Read Also: UP Yoddhas and Patna Pirates entered into the PKL 11 Semis
Defensive masterclass
The game was full of tactical brilliance. Haryana has a strong defence and they proved to be the difference makers. Rahul Sethpal collected four tackle points on the night. Three points from Sanjay Dhull and one from Shadloui helped Haryana Steelers in this important match. UP Yoddhas were the better raiding team. Gagan Gowda collected a super 10 on the night. Bhavani Rajput added another five points. Hitesh was the best defender on the night as he collected five tackle points.
Haryana Steelers managed an all out and that proved to be crucial for them. There were a lot of expectations from Shadloui but he only managed three points. Steelers will be expecting a better performance from him in the final.
Pirates’ defense stops Delhi Raiders
Patna Pirates took on Dabang Delhi in the second semi-final of the night. These two teams performed consistently throughout the season. The match promised a lot of excitement. Pirates took an early advantage and were at the top. Delhi made a comeback and got back. However, the Pirates proved to be the better side and took the match by 32-28.
A collective effort from the Patna Pirates
Patna players were on the top of their game in this crucial game. Everyone contributed their bit in getting this big win. Devank and Ayan troubled Delhi’s defense and collected eight points each from raids. These two played a huge role in taking out Delhi players.
Shubham Shinde, Ankit Jaglan, and Deepak Rathee troubled the opposition raiders. The trio collected 12 tackle points on the night, with Shinde making five successful tackles.
Ashu Malik tried his best to get Delhi back into the game. However, his nine raid points were not enough to carry the team over the line. Mohit Deswal also added seven points to Delhi’s total. Naveen Kumar struggled on the night as he only collected two points.
Haryana Steelers will aim for their first title against the three-time champions. This will be a test for both sets of players.
