The Patna Pirates orchestrated an impressive comeback to secure their place in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 10 playoffs, overcoming the Telugu Titans with a thrilling 38-36 victory on Tuesday at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata. The standout performance by Manjeet, who scored 8 points for the Pirates, was crucial, although the Titans' captain Pawan Sehrawat's stellar 16-point effort ultimately proved insufficient.
Entering the match on a high with a seven-match unbeaten streak, the Pirates faced a surprisingly strong challenge from the Titans. Sehrawat's dynamic raiding, which included consecutive multi-point raids, and Patna's initial defensive struggles led to an early All-Out, putting the Titans ahead by a 10-3 margin.
The lead widened as the Pirates' defense struggled, with Sehrawat weaving through their ranks to achieve a Super 10 by the 15th minute, making the score 20-12 in favor of the Titans.
However, the tide began to turn in the last five minutes of the first half. Sandeep Kumar's raids and a crucial tackle on Sehrawat by Krishan significantly reduced the Titans' advantage. Pirates' captain Sachin capitalized on this momentum, navigating past defenders Milad Jabbari and Parvesh Bhainswal to execute an All-Out, narrowing the gap to 22-20 by halftime.
Patna Pirates took the lead for the first time 23 minutes into the match. Despite Omkar Patil's Super Raid preventing an All-Out, a Super Tackle from Jabbari briefly regained the lead for the Titans at 28-27 with 10 minutes remaining.
The game's climax saw Manjeet, brought off the bench, making pivotal contributions through a Super Tackle and decisive raids, leading to a critical All-Out in the 36th minute. This push enabled the Pirates to build a five-point lead at 36-31 and maintain it until the end, extending their unbeaten streak to eight matches and ensuring their playoff berth for the seventh time.
This victory not only highlighted the Pirates' resilience and strategic prowess but also set the stage for their pursuit of glory in the Pro Kabaddi League playoffs.
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