IMAGE: Devank started things off for Patna Pirates and, along with Ayan. Photograph: PKL/X
Raiders Devank and Ayan produced superb performances as Patna Pirates outwitted a spirited Tamil Thalaivas 42-38 in a Pro Kabaddi League match in Pune on Friday.
Devank secured 12 points and Ayan got 13 to help Patna Pirates win the match. Shubham Shinde also registered a High 5.
For Tamil Thalaivas, who are on the verge of being knocked out of the play-offs race, Moein Shafaghi scored 11 points and Sachin bagged 8.
Devank started things off for Patna Pirates and, along with Ayan, helped the team race to a 3-point lead within the first few minutes.
Patna Pirates dominated the early exchanges, and Tamil Thalaivas were under pressure. Ayan and Devank were doing the heavy lifting for Patna Pirates, but a combined defensive effort helped reduce the deficit.
Devank was scoring raids in a hurry, and midway through the first half, Patna Pirates inflicted an ALL OUT which extended the lead to 7-points.
Moein Shafaghi and the defensive unit, though, were looking to mount a comeback. Sachin was chipping in with a few crucial raids as well. At the half-time break, Patna Pirates led 20-15.
Early in the second half, Nitesh Kumar’s quick raid accounted for Ayan and Tamil Thalaivas threatened to turn the game on its head.
But Deepak’s three-point raid kept Patna Pirates in the box seat. That brought Devank back on the mat and he landed a three-point raid as well. In the process, he completed his 14th Super 10, and gave his side a 10-point lead.
Sachin though had picked up the baton from his defence, and led the fightback for Tamil Thalaivas.
At the half-hour mark, with the deficit at 4 points, Tamil Thalaivas were in the ascendency and had successfully kept Patna Pirates’ star raiders Devank and Ayan at bay.
It was left to Ayan to counter attack for Patna Pirates, and in the process, he too completed his Super 10.
Tamil Thalaivas landed an ALL OUT moments later, with Amir Hossein and Sahil Gulia holding fort in the defence.
Moein Shafaghi too registered his Super 10, but Patna Pirates continued to hold the lead. With just over 4 minutes in the game, it was a 5-point lead. Eventually, Patna Pirates held on and walked off with the win.
