Two teams with contrasting fortunes meet in Match 88 of PKL 12 as resurgent Bengaluru Bulls host struggling Patna Pirates. The Bulls' three-match winning streak meets the Pirates' three-game losing run in a crucial encounter where Alireza Mirzaian's consistency faces Ayan's brilliance, whilst Deepak Sankar's defensive excellence meets the Pirates' struggling defensive unit.

Probable Starting 7

Bengaluru Bulls

  • Right Corner – Yogesh (C)
  • Right In – Aashish Malik
  • Right Cover – Sanjay
  • Centre – Akash Shinde
  • Left Cover – Satyappa Matti
  • Left In – Alireza Mirzaian
  • Left Corner – Deepak Sankar

Patna Pirates

  • Right Corner – Navdeep
  • Right In – Ankit Kumar
  • Right Cover – Deepak Singh
  • Centre – Mandeep Kumar
  • Left Cover – Balaji D
  • Left In – Ayan
  • Left Corner – Ankit (C)

Headlines

➢ Bengaluru Bulls have won three in a row
 ➢ They are now in a great position to qualify for the playoffs
 ➢ Alireza had a huge game, scoring 16 raid points on his own
 ➢ Deepak Sankar is in top form at the left corner
 ➢ Patna Pirates are struggling, last in the table
 ➢ Ayan has been the lone warrior, putting in consistent performances
 ➢ The defence has let the team down – they average the lowest tackle points per game

Top Stories of the Match

Ayan Takes On One of the Strongest Defences in the League

Ayan continues his superb form and is leading the Pirates raiding unit this season, having scored more than 50% of Patna's raid points. His 155 raid points in 13 matches (11.9 average at 67% success rate) with 8 Super 10s represent the lone bright spot in an otherwise disappointing campaign.

His raid success rate of 67% ranks as the third-best in PKL 12 amongst raiders with 100+ raid points:

Best Raid SR% in PKL 12 (Min: 100 raid points):

  • Devank: 237 points (73% SR)
  • Gagan Gowda: 122 points (71% SR)
  • Ayan: 155 points (67% SR)

However, his last match against Gujarat Giants saw a rare off-day, managing just 5 raid points at 38% success rate – ending a remarkable streak of 5 consecutive Super 10s.

Ayan's recent form (Last 6 matches):

  • vs Gujarat Giants: 5 raid points (38% SR)
  • vs Haryana Steelers: 15 raid points (63% SR)
  • vs Tamil Thalaivas: 16 raid points (84% SR)
  • vs UP Yoddhas: 15 raid points (71% SR)
  • vs Telugu Titans: 13 raid points (81% SR)
  • vs Bengal Warriorz: 15 raid points (83% SR)

His situational brilliance demonstrates tactical intelligence across all scenarios:

By Defenders in Play (DIP):

  • 6-7 defenders: 102 points at 79% SR
  • 4-5 defenders: 32 points at 45% SR
  • 2-3 defenders: 20 points at 69% SR

Notably, Ayan has the third-best raid success rate when 4-5 defenders are on the mat amongst raiders with 20+ raid points, showcasing his ability to thrive in transitional situations.

He will be facing the Bengaluru Bulls' defence, which has had a great season so far. Encouragingly, Ayan has gotten a Super 10 every time he has faced the Bulls (3 matches, 11.3 average, 76% SR), which will give him confidence going into this encounter.

Bengaluru Bulls Defence Standing Strong with Deepak Sankar Leading the Charge

The Bulls' defence has been in great form this season, now boasting the second-best average tackle points in the league at 11.4 per match with 46% success rate.

Best Average Tackle Points in PKL 12:

  • Puneri Paltan: 12.3 (47% SR)
  • Bengaluru Bulls: 11.4 (46% SR)
  • Gujarat Giants: 11.3 (48% SR)

Deepak Sankar has emerged as one of the league's premier defenders, recording his fourth High 5 of the season against Bengal Warriorz (6 tackle points at 86% SR). Since replacing Ankush Rathee, he has been instrumental in transforming the Bulls' defensive fortunes.

His 45 tackle points in 13 matches (3.5 average at 59% SR) ranks him second-best in the entire league:

Best Average Tackle Points in PKL 12:

  • Nitesh Kumar: 60 tackle points (3.8 average, 57% SR)
  • Deepak Sankar: 45 tackle points (3.5 average, 59% SR)
  • Jaideep: 48 tackle points (3.4 average, 62% SR)

An interesting pattern emerges when examining his performance by time intervals – Deepak Sankar is slow to start matches but grows increasingly dominant:

Deepak Sankar by intervals:

  • 1-10 minutes: 7 tackle points (32% SR)
  • 11-20 minutes: 14 tackle points (74% SR)
  • 21-30 minutes: 13 tackle points (68% SR)
  • 31-40 minutes: 11 tackle points (69% SR)

The corner partnership with captain Yogesh has provided solid foundations:

  • Deepak Sankar: 45 tackle points (3.5 average, 59% SR, 4 High 5s)
  • Yogesh: 40 tackle points (2.9 average, 50% SR, 3 High 5s)

The Bulls' defensive consistency has been remarkable – they have secured at least 10 tackle points in each of their last six matches, with their winning percentage significantly higher when the defence performs well (13.1 average in wins vs 9.2 in losses).

Team Stories

Bengaluru Bulls – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results:

  • M#80 vs Bengal Warriorz – Won 43–32 (11-point victory)
  • M#77 vs Jaipur Pink Panthers – Won 47–26 (21-point demolition)
  • M#66 vs Tamil Thalaivas – Won 33–29 (4-point victory)
  • M#59 vs Puneri Paltan – Lost 29–29 (4-6 tie-breaker)
  • M#49 vs UP Yoddhas – Lost 36–36 (5-6 tie-breaker)

Bengaluru Bulls are in great form and have won three matches in a row after beating Bengal Warriorz by 11 points. After a poor start, they have turned around their season and are now in 4th place in the table, positioning themselves well for playoff qualification.

Alireza Puts in an Outstanding Performance to Help the Bulls Win

Alireza Mirzaian was in top form against Bengal Warriorz, recording 16 raid points at 73% success rate. His 126 raid points in 14 matches (9.0 average, 53% SR) with 8 Super 10s has carried the Bulls' raiding unit throughout the season.

His Do-or-Die supremacy remains unmatched – he leads the entire league with 23 DoD raid points at 68% success rate:

Most Raid Points in DoD Situations – PKL 12:

  • Alireza Mirzaian: 23 (68% SR)
  • Aditya Shinde: 22 (73% SR)
  • Ashu Malik: 21 (100% SR)

Time-wise analysis reveals his preference for strong starts:

Alireza by intervals:

  • 1-10 minutes: 33 raid points (60% SR)
  • 11-20 minutes: 21 raid points (47% SR)
  • 21-30 minutes: 37 raid points (51% SR)
  • 31-40 minutes: 35 raid points (53% SR)

Support raiders Aashish Malik and Ganesha Hanamantagol contributed 5 raid points each against Bengal Warriorz, though the Bulls' overall attacking output remains concerning – they have the third-lowest average raid points in the league at 19.4 per match.

Patna Pirates – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results:

  • M#83 vs Gujarat Giants – Lost 32–40 (8-point defeat)
  • M#81 vs Haryana Steelers – Lost 32–39 (7-point defeat)
  • M#69 vs Tamil Thalaivas – Lost 37–56 (19-point thrashing)
  • M#68 vs UP Yoddhas – Won 36–28 (8-point victory)
  • M#55 vs Telugu Titans – Lost 28–37 (9-point defeat)

Patna Pirates have not been playing well this season and sit in last place in the table with just 3 wins from 13 games. They have lost their last three matches and 5 of their last 6, leaving playoff qualification looking increasingly unlikely.

Cover Defenders Have to Support Ankit and Navdeep for Patna Pirates Defence

The Pirates' defence has been their Achilles heel, averaging the lowest tackle points in the league at 8.4 per match with just 34% success rate:

Lowest Average Tackle Points in PKL 12:

  • Patna Pirates: 8.4 (34% SR)
  • Bengal Warriorz: 9.1 (32% SR)
  • Jaipur Pink Panthers: 9.2 (39% SR)

However, signs of improvement have emerged with back-to-back matches securing at least 10 tackle points, primarily thanks to their corner defenders. Against Gujarat Giants, both Ankit and Navdeep fell just one point short of High 5s (4 tackle points each), whilst the cover defenders contributed nothing – both starting covers recorded 0 tackle points.

The corner duo of Ankit and Navdeep have carried the defensive burden, accounting for more than 50% of the team's tackle points:

Patna Pirates Starting Defenders in PKL 12:

Ankit & Navdeep:

  • 146 tackles
  • 66 tackle points
  • 45% SR
  • 3 High 5s

Cover Defenders:

  • 111 tackles
  • 27 tackle points
  • 24% SR
  • 0 High 5s

Navdeep has found excellent form, maintaining a tackle success rate above 50% in his last 7 matches and securing 3+ tackle points in 6 of those encounters (25 tackle points, 3.6 average, 54% SR).

Head-to-Head in PKL

Overall: Matches – 26 | Bengaluru Bulls – 8 | Patna Pirates – 14 | Tied – 4

The historical record heavily favours Patna Pirates, though recent form has shifted dramatically in favour of the Bulls.

Since PKL 9: Matches – 7 | Bengaluru Bulls – 3 | Patna Pirates – 2 | Tied – 2

Recent Form (Last 5 meetings):

  • PKL 12 M#17: Bengaluru Bulls won 38–30
  • PKL 11 M#85: Patna Pirates won 54–29
  • PKL 11 M#64: Patna Pirates won 54–31
  • PKL 10 M#98: Match tied 29–29
  • PKL 10 M#62: Bengaluru Bulls won 35–33

The teams already faced each other once this season, with Bengaluru Bulls winning 38–30. Alireza got a Super 10 for the Bulls, and Ayan got a Super 10 for the Pirates; however, Patna only managed 6 tackle points as a team, which proved decisive.

Key Player Battles

Bengaluru Bulls' Raiders vs Patna Pirates' Defenders:

  • Alireza Mirzaian 3–1 Ankit
  • Alireza Mirzaian 2–2 Deepak

Patna Pirates' Raiders vs Bengaluru Bulls' Defenders:

  • Ayan 7–4 Yogesh
  • Maninder Singh 3–6 Yogesh

What to Expect

This encounter promises a fascinating contrast between momentum and desperation. Bengaluru Bulls' three-match winning streak and solid defensive foundations meet Patna Pirates' relegation struggles and over-reliance on individual brilliance.

The key battles – Ayan versus Deepak Sankar's defensive excellence and Alireza Mirzaian against the struggling Pirates' defence – will likely determine the outcome.

Expect the Bulls to maintain their winning run if their defence continues its recent form, though Ayan's proven track record against them (3 Super 10s in 3 matches) could produce a dramatic upset if the Pirates' cover defenders finally provide support.

Match Details:

  • Match: Bengaluru Bulls vs Patna Pirates – Match 88, PKL Season 12
  • Date: Thursday, 16th October 2025
  • Time: 7:30 PM IST
  • Venue: Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium, Delhi
  • LIVE Streaming: Watch LIVE on Star Sports Network and JioHotstar. For LIVE scores and updates, visit prokabaddi.com or download the Pro Kabaddi Official App.

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