Three-time champions Patna Pirates meant business in match 80 of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) as they outshined Tamil Thalaivas 52-24 to go second on the table. A complete team performance with six 'high-fives', the Pirates ran riot as they dominated from the word go and gave the opposition no chance to stage a comeback.
First half dominance
The teams had earlier shared the spoils with a 30-30 tie. But, this time the former champions had nothing of the opposition as they notched an all-out thanks to raiders Sachin, Manu Goyat and Prashanth Kumar. With 11 raid points in the first half, they underlined their dominance, while the Pirates also scalped six tackle points.
While Sachin was doing the attacking work, defender Mohammadreza Chiyaneh was firing on all cylinders with both tackles and raids. He ended with six points in the match, but his defensive show saw the Pirates take a 21-12 lead at the break.
Pirates consolidate on half-time lead
Things only got better for the Pirates in the second half as Sachin (8 points) and Goyat (9 points) continued their trade. The Thalaivas did respond with Ajinkya Pawar (5 points) and Sagar (8 points) but they couldn't prevent their team from the embarrassing defeat.
Manjeet Dahiya becomes silver lining on dark cloud
Raider Manjeet Dahiya has been a consistent performer for the Thalaivas, but couldn't replicate his form in the contest as he raided only four points. However, he marked the occasion with his 100th raid point of the PKL.
The three-time champions, Pirates with a 47 per cent raid success rate compared to Thalaivas' 26 per cent, won the match by 52-24. They picked up an astounding 31 points in the half, along with three all-outs.
The win sees Patna Pirates climb to second position on the table, one point behind league leaders Bengaluru Bulls, although, the Bulls have played three matches more than the Pirates. In 12 matches, the Pirates have 45 points with eight wins and three defeats, along with a solitary tie against the Thalaivas in the reverse fixture.
The Thalaivas, on the other hand, are steering down the barrel, as they are now winless in their last five encounters and sit 10th with 34 points. The Pirates next take on former champions Jaipur Pink Panthers on Sunday (January 30) while the Tamil Thalaivas take on Bengaluru Bulls on the same night, where they can turn out to be as party spoilers after their hopes of reaching the playoffs are all but over.
