PKL Season 12 Match 38 Preview: Haryana Steelers vs Patna Pirates – PKL 11 Final Rematch

The defending champions, Haryana Steelers, lock horns with Patna Pirates in Match 38 of PKL 12 at the SMS Indoor Stadium, Jaipur. This compelling encounter serves as a rematch of the PKL 11 Final, where the Steelers claimed their maiden title with a dominant 9-point victory over the three-time champions.

Probable Starting 7

Haryana Steelers

• Right Corner – Rahul Sethpal
• Right In – Shivam Patare
• Right Cover – Neeraj
• Centre – Vishal Tate
• Left Cover – Jaideep (C)
• Left In – Vinay
• Left Corner – Rahul Ahri

Patna Pirates

• Right Corner – Navdeep
• Right In – Maninder Singh
• Right Cover – Deepak Singh
• Centre – Sudhakar M
• Left Cover – Sanket Sawant
• Left In – Ayan
• Left Corner – Ankit (C)

Headlines

➢ Battle of coaches – Manpreet Singh vs Anup Kumar – who will emerge victorious?
➢ PKL 11 Final Rematch – will the Steelers prevail or the Pirates take revenge?
➢ Ayan – best raider for Patna Pirates, showing magnificent form
➢ Shivam–Vinay combination again doing wonders for the Steelers
➢ Can the defence stay strong for Haryana Steelers?
➢ Pirates' defence – cause for concern

Top Stories of the Match

Battle of Coaches – Manpreet Singh vs Anup Kumar

This marquee clash represents a fascinating tactical battle between two legends of Indian kabaddi. Manpreet Singh, with his recent victory over Gujarat Giants, has become the most successful coach in PKL history with 97 wins, surpassing Randhir Singh's record of 96.

After multiple heartbreaks, Manpreet finally secured his maiden PKL title as coach in Season 11, creating history by becoming the first individual to win PKL titles both as a player and coach. As a player, he captained Patna Pirates to their first-ever PKL trophy in Season 3, ironically beating Anup Kumar's U Mumba in that final.

His coaching journey began in PKL 5 with immediate impact, guiding Gujarat Giants to consecutive finals in PKL 5 & 6. Since taking charge of Haryana Steelers in PKL 9, his tenure shows steady progression: 7th place (PKL 9), runners-up (PKL 10), and champions (PKL 11).

Anup Kumar, the legendary 'Captain Cool', remains one of kabaddi's most recognisable faces. As a player, he won PKL 2 with U Mumba and reached finals in PKL 1 and 3. His coaching career began in PKL 7 with Puneri Paltan, taking them to playoffs the following season.

PKL 11 Final Replay – Will the Steelers Prevail or Pirates Take Revenge?

The psychological advantage clearly lies with Haryana Steelers, who dominated Patna Pirates in all three PKL 11 encounters (two league matches and the final). Since PKL 9, the Steelers hold a commanding 5-2 record against the Pirates.

In PKL 11, Haryana achieved historic success with 18 wins and a 75% win rate, registering the joint-second highest victories in a single PKL season. The championship-winning campaign was built around the formidable raiding duo of Vinay and Shivam Patare, both crossing 150 raid points, supported by three defenders who surpassed 50 tackle points.

Patna Pirates endured heartbreak in PKL 11, with star raiders Devank and Ayan carrying the team brilliantly throughout the season, only to fall short in the final. The three-time champions will be desperate for revenge against the team that denied them a record fourth title.

Ayan – Raider Magnifico for Patna Pirates

The young sensation has been a revelation this season, establishing himself as one of the league's premier raiders. Ayan currently averages 13.4 raid points per match at an impressive 72% strike rate, with three Super 10s in five matches.

His standout performance came against Puneri Paltan, where he scored 21 raid points – the joint-most by any raider in a single match this season. Operating at 88% strike rate in that encounter, he single-handedly dismantled Paltan's defence.

Ayan demonstrates remarkable consistency across halves, though he's particularly lethal in the first half (85% strike rate vs 58% in the second). The Pirates' over-dependence on their star raider is evident – 57% of their total raid points have come from Ayan alone.

The concerning factor for the Pirates is the lack of support for Ayan. Maninder Singh, despite his pedigree (second-most raid points since PKL 8), has managed only 23 points in three appearances this season. His absence from recent matches has placed enormous pressure on the young raider.

Shivam and Vinay Leading the Way for Steelers

The defending champions' success continues to be built around their experienced raiding partnership. Following Naveen Kumar's injury, both veterans have stepped up admirably to maintain the team's winning momentum.

Shivam Patare has been the more aggressive of the duo in PKL 12, averaging 8.2 raid points at 62% strike rate. His tactical approach varies by game phase – excelling in the opening 20 minutes (71% success rate) but struggling in the 21-30 minute interval (39% strike rate).

Vinay complements Shivam perfectly with his supporting role, contributing 7.5 average raid points at 55% strike rate. Their combined experience and understanding have been crucial in navigating matches without their injured star, Naveen.

The duo's familiarity with Patna Pirates gives them a significant advantage – Shivam has faced key Pirates defenders multiple times, whilst Vinay holds positive head-to-head records against both Deepak (8-5) and Ankit (6-5).

Team Stories

Haryana Steelers – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results:

• M#33 vs Gujarat Giants – Won 40–37
• M#21 vs Bengaluru Bulls – Lost 33–40
• M#16 vs UP Yoddhas – Won 37–32
• M#12 vs U Mumba – Won 36–36 (tie-breaker)
• M#6 vs Bengal Warriorz – Lost 44–54

After a disastrous opening defeat to Bengal Warriorz, the defending champions have shown character to fight back. They've secured crucial victories against UP Yoddhas and Gujarat Giants, plus a dramatic tie-breaker win over U Mumba.

However, consistency remains elusive. Their second-half collapse against Bengaluru Bulls highlighted ongoing defensive frailties that could prove costly against quality opposition.

Haryana Steelers' Defence Looking for Inspiration

Despite boasting experienced defenders like Rahul Sethpal and captain Jaideep, the Steelers' defence has been surprisingly inconsistent. They average just 10.6 tackle points per match at 40% success rate – well below championship standards.

The bright spot came in their victory over UP Yoddhas, where both corners delivered:

• Rahul Sethpal: 5 tackle points at 71% SR (High 5)
• Rahul Ahri: 6 tackle points at 60% SR (High 5)

Unfortunately, defensive frailties resurfaced against Bengaluru Bulls, where they managed only 7 tackle points as a team.

Current defensive statistics:

• Rahul Sethpal: 14 tackle points (2.8 average, 56% SR)
• Jaideep: 12 tackle points (2.4 average, 63% SR)
• Rahul Ahri: 12 tackle points (2.4 average, 43% SR)
• Neeraj: 6 tackle points (1.2 average, 25% SR)

Rahul Sethpal's pedigree offers hope – he ranks third in tackle points since PKL 10 (160 points with 12 High 5s), demonstrating his ability to perform at the highest level.

Patna Pirates – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results:

• M#27 vs U Mumba – Lost 39–40 (heartbreaking 1-point defeat)
• M#22 vs Puneri Paltan – Won 48–37
• M#17 vs Bengaluru Bulls – Lost 30–38
• M#10 vs Jaipur Pink Panthers – Lost 36–39
• M#7 vs UP Yoddhas – Lost 31–34

The three-time champions endured a nightmare start, losing their opening three matches before Ayan's heroics against Puneri Paltan provided respite. Their narrow defeat to U Mumba, despite a spirited fightback, leaves them languishing in second-last position.

Coach Anup Kumar faces the difficult task of finding consistency, particularly from his defence, whilst managing the workload of star raider Ayan.

Pirates' Defence – Cause for Concern?

Patna's defensive woes represent their biggest challenge this season. They possess the lowest tackle points (41) and tackles (121) among all teams in PKL 12, averaging just 8.2 tackle points per match.

Their defensive statistics paint a worrying picture:

First three matches: 19 tackle points at 32% SR
vs Puneri Paltan: 13 tackle points at 45% SR (improvement)
vs U Mumba: 9 tackle points at 29% SR (regression)

The Pirates also rank second-lowest in super tackle situations (15% success rate), highlighting their struggles against quality raiders.

Key defensive performers:

• Deepak Singh: 11 tackle points (2.2 average, 42% SR)
• Ankit: 10 tackle points (2.0 average, 38% SR)
• Navdeep: 7 tackle points (1.4 average, 29% SR)
• Sanket Sawant: 4 tackle points (0.8 average, 24% SR)

Worryingly, none of their main defenders have achieved 50% tackle success rate this season.

Head-to-Head in PKL

Overall: Matches – 14 | Haryana Steelers – 8 | Patna Pirates – 5 | Tied – 1

The recent history heavily favours Haryana Steelers, who have dominated since PKL 9 with a 5-2 record. Most significantly, they swept all three PKL 11 meetings (two league matches and the final).

Recent Form (Last 5 meetings):

• PKL 11 Final: Steelers won 32–23
• PKL 11 M#96: Steelers won 42–36
• PKL 11 M#52: Steelers won 37–32
• PKL 10 M#122: Steelers won 39–32
• PKL 10 M#45: Pirates won 46–33

Key Player Battles

Haryana Steelers' Raiders vs Patna Pirates' Defenders

• Shivam Patare 5–2 Ankit
• Shivam Patare 3–3 Deepak Singh
• Vinay 8–5 Deepak Singh
• Vinay 6–5 Ankit

Patna Pirates' Raiders vs Haryana Steelers' Defenders

• Maninder Singh 6–2 Jaideep
• Maninder Singh 9–3 Rahul Sethpal

What to Expect

This encounter promises to be a tactical chess match between two experienced coaches who intimately understand each other's systems. The psychological edge clearly lies with defending champions Haryana Steelers, but Patna Pirates' desperation for points could make them dangerous opponents.

The key battle will unfold between Ayan's brilliance and the Steelers' defensive unit, whilst the experienced Steelers raiding duo will look to exploit the Pirates' defensive vulnerabilities.

Expect a closely contested match where small margins could prove decisive, with both teams aware that consistency will be crucial for their playoff aspirations.

Match Details

• Match: Haryana Steelers vs Patna Pirates – Match 38, PKL Season 12
• Date: Wednesday, 17th September 2025
• Time: 9 PM IST
• Venue: SMS Indoor Stadium, Jaipur
• 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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