PKL Season 12 Match 103 Preview: Haryana Steelers vs Telugu Titans – Resolute Defence Meets Dynamic Duo

Two teams with contrasting aspirations meet in Match 103 of PKL 12 as sixth-placed Haryana Steelers seek redemption against fourth-placed Telugu Titans. The league's most formidable defensive unit, anchored by Jaideep's elite form, faces the ultimate examination against Bharat and Vijay Malik's lethal raiding partnership, whilst Vinay and Shivam Patare's resurgent attacking prowess challenge Telugu's defensive discipline.

Probable Starting 7

Haryana Steelers

• Right Corner – Rahul Sethpal • Right In – Shivam Patare • Right Cover – Neeraj • Centre – Sahil Narwal • Left Cover – Jaideep (C) • Left In – Vinay • Left Corner – Hardeep

Telugu Titans

• Right Corner – Shubham Shinde • Right In – Bharat • Right Cover – Avi Duhan • Centre – Manjeet • Left Cover – Ajit Pawar • Left In – Vijay Malik (C) • Left Corner – Ankit

Headlines

➢ Haryana Steelers' resolute defence face the dynamic duo of Bharat and Vijay Malik
➢ Jaideep – Steelers' defensive wall continues to impress with highest tackle SR%
➢ Vinay and Shivam Patare continue their good form with consecutive Super 10s
➢ Telugu Titans' defence is key to their current position and playoff qualification
➢ Ankit, Shubham Shinde, Ajit Pawar – all contributing to Telugu's defensive strength
➢ Steelers looking to avenge their 17-point loss against Titans in M#71

Top Stories of the Match

Haryana Steelers' Resolute Defence Face the Dynamic Duo – Bharat and Vijay Malik

Haryana Steelers have established themselves as one of the Pro Kabaddi League 12's most formidable defensive units, boasting the joint second-best average tackle points in the tournament. Their defensive excellence has become synonymous with their recent resurgence after a difficult period.

Defensive credentials:

• Average tackle points in PKL 12: 11.8 (joint second-best)
• Tackle success rate: 44%
• Nine wins from 17 matches with 238 tackles and 124 tackle points
• Demonstrable correlation between defensive performance and match outcomes – wins recorded with a greater than 50% tackle success rate

Their defensive prowess was showcased in recent performances: 19 tackle points against both UP Yoddhas and U Mumba, with particularly impressive displays featuring 32 tackles and 59% success rate against U Mumba in M#98.

Jaideep – The Defensive Anchor

Jaideep has emerged as the cornerstone of Haryana's defensive resilience, representing one of the season's most compelling individual performances. His trajectory through this season ranks among the most impressive in Pro Kabaddi history.

Record-breaking achievements:

• Second-most tackle points in PKL 12: 64 points
• Exceptional tackle success rate: 68% – highest of his entire career
• Three High 5s in the last four matches, culminating in a perfect performance
• Thirteen super tackles – by far the league's leader with a commanding margin

Seasonal comparison showcasing progression:

• PKL 12: 64 tackle points at 68% SR
• PKL 10: 68 tackle points at 51% SR
• PKL 8: 66 tackle points at 55% SR

His standout performance against U Mumba epitomised his current form: nine tackle points at 100% success rate, demonstrating clinical excellence across all defensive scenarios. Against Gujarat Giants in the last match, though contributing modestly with one tackle point, he maintained his defensive discipline without conceding excessively.

Supporting defensive contributions:

Rahul Sethpal has provided consistent support at the right corner, recording 42 tackle points across 17 matches at 52% success rate, establishing himself as Haryana's second-best defender following Jaideep.

The Telugu Titans' Dynamic Raiding Duo

Bharat Hooda and Vijay Malik have formed the foundation of Telugu Titans' remarkable qualification for the playoffs – their first appearance since PKL 4. This powerful partnership embodies collective excellence, combining complementary skills within a unified attacking philosophy.

Combined raiding statistics demonstrating dominance:

• Bharat: 157 raid points across 17 matches (9.2 average, 58% success rate, 7 Super 10s)
• Vijay Malik: 140 raid points across 17 matches (8.2 average, 50% success rate, 5 Super 10s)
• Collective contribution: 297 raid points representing 85% of Telugu's total raid output
• Combined Super 10s: 12 across the season

Bharat's consistent excellence:

Bharat has established himself as a leader worthy of the raiding mantle. His recent performances demonstrate unwavering consistency, achieving raid success rates exceeding 60% in three of the previous five matches.

Recent form – Last five matches:

• vs Bengal Warriorz: 22 raids, 16 raid points, 73% SR
• vs U Mumba: 15 raids, 5 raid points, 33% SR
• vs Puneri Paltan: 14 raids, 9 raid points, 64% SR
• vs Gujarat Giants: 20 raids, 7 raid points, 35% SR

His previous encounter with Haryana Steelers proved decisive – in M#71, Bharat recorded an exceptional performance with 18 raids, 16 raid points, and an extraordinary 89% success rate, single-handedly leading Telugu to a comprehensive 17-point victory.

Vijay Malik's tactical brilliance:

Vijay Malik's speciality lies in capitalising upon bonus-point opportunities, ranking third in the league with 56 bonus points – demonstrating consistent ability to work within defender-heavy situations.

Positional performance analysis – Defenders in Play (DIP):

• 6-7 defenders: 79 raid points at 70% SR
• 4-5 defenders: 20 raid points at 40% SR
• 2-3 defenders: 25 raid points at 71% SR

These statistics showcase his tactical intelligence across varying game situations, combining traditional raiding strength with calculated risk-taking in numerical disadvantage scenarios.

Haryana Steelers' Raiding Resurgence

Vinay and Shivam Patare have formed an exceptionally effective raiding partnership, establishing Haryana's attacking credentials as genuine playoff contenders. Their recent performances demonstrate collective brilliance transcending individual achievement.

Partnership statistics:

• Combined raid points in PKL 12: 260 points representing 68% of the team's total
• Collective Super 10s: 11 across the season
• Shivam Patare: 141 raid points (8.3 average, 63% SR)
• Vinay: 119 raid points (7.4 average, 48% SR)

Shivam Patare – Consistent excellence across all scenarios:

Shivam has demonstrated remarkable consistency, performing effectively across all defensive situations – a relatively rare quality among elite raiders preferring specific game circumstances.

DIP-wise performance breakdown:

• 6-7 defenders: 86 raid points at 70% SR
• 4-5 defenders: 32 raid points at 47% SR
• 2-3 defenders: 22 raid points at 67% SR

Vinay – Clutch performer in crucial moments:

Vinay's brilliance manifests within specific temporal windows, recording exceptional performance during opening and closing phases.

Time-interval performance:

• 1-10 minutes: 48 raid points at 59% SR
• 11-20 minutes: 17 raid points at 34% SR
• 21-30 minutes: 16 raid points at 33% SR
• 31-40 minutes: 38 raid points at 58% SR

Their combined performance against Gujarat Giants in M#102 exemplified their current trajectory – both recorded Super 10s with Shivam accumulating 16 raid points at 80% success rate and Vinay recording 14 raid points at 70% success rate.

Telugu Titans' Defensive Discipline

Telugu Titans' defensive cohesion has proven instrumental in their playoff qualification, demonstrating marked improvement throughout the latter tournament stages. Their defensive unit averages 11.2 tackle points per match at 45% success rate – a substantial contribution complementing their raiding brilliance.

Defensive performance correlation with results:

• Ten wins recorded with 242 tackles, 121 tackle points, 50% SR
• Seven losses recorded with 182 tackles, 69 tackle points, 38% SR

Their last five matches particularly demonstrate this defensive excellence, recording double-digit tackle points in four consecutive performances – representing a fundamental pillar supporting their recent success.

Shubham Shinde – Corner specialist:

Shubham Shinde has emerged as Telugu's premier defensive force, with particular proficiency in numerical disadvantage scenarios. His performance reaches exceptional levels with 2-3 defenders in play.

DIP-wise tackle analysis:

• 6-7 defenders: 22 tackle points at 44% SR
• 4-5 defenders: 10 tackle points at 40% SR
• 2-3 defenders: 10 tackle points at 91% SR

This statistical breakdown illustrates his tactical specialisation – overwhelming effectiveness in super-tackle situations whilst maintaining competitive performance across all game circumstances.

Supporting defensive personnel:

Ankit and Ajit Pawar provide balanced defensive contributions, each recording 42 and 32 tackle points, respectively. Ajit Pawar particularly distinguishes himself with 53 assists – demonstrating exceptional supporting play and defensive coordination.

Head-to-Head in PKL

Overall record: Matches – 14 | Haryana Steelers – 7 | Telugu Titans – 6 | Tied – 1

The historical record remains evenly contested, though recent developments favour Telugu. Haryana's last triumph came in PKL 11 M#101, where they recorded a comprehensive 21-point victory, winning 46-25.

Recent Form (Last 5 meetings):

• PKL 12 M#71: Telugu Titans won 46–29 (17-point victory)
• PKL 11 M#101: Haryana Steelers won 46–25 (21-point victory)
• PKL 11 M#61: Telugu Titans won 49–27 (22-point victory)
• PKL 10 M#85: Haryana Steelers won 37–30 (7-point victory)
• PKL 10 M#35: Telugu Titans won 37–36 (1-point victory)

Key Player Battles

Haryana Steelers' Raiders vs Telugu Titans' Defenders

• Shivam Patare 9 – 2 Shubham Shinde (Steelers' raider dominates the corner battle)
• Shivam Patare 8 – 5 Ajit Pawar (Closely contested left-cover engagement)
• Vinay 4 – 2 Shubham Shinde (Patare's opening raider edges the contest)
• Shivam Patare 2 – 0 Ankit (Steelers maintain the advantage)
• Vinay 2 – 3 Ajit Pawar (Titans' left-cover edges slightly)
• Vinay 0 – 5 Ankit (Ankit corners have proven effective against Vinay)

Telugu Titans' Raiders vs Haryana Steelers' Defenders

• Bharat 10 – 5 Jaideep (Raider maintains slight edge against elite defender)
• Bharat 10 – 2 Neeraj (Commanding advantage in right-cover duels)
• Bharat 7 – 4 Rahul Sethpal (Hooda's superior record against corner defence)
• Vijay Malik 8 – 4 Jaideep (Malik has edged slightly in previous encounters)
• Vijay Malik 6 – 3 Neeraj (Left-in raider maintains statistical advantage)
• Vijay Malik 3 – 1 Rahul Sethpal (Limited corner engagements favour Malik)

What to Expect

This encounter promises an absorbing tactical examination between complementary strengths. Haryana's elite defensive infrastructure meets Telugu's dynamic raiding excellence in a match carrying significant playoff implications for both franchises.

The critical battleground will centre upon Jaideep's capacity to neutralise Bharat's raiding brilliance whilst Shivam Patare seeks to penetrate Telugu's defensive framework. Haryana hold legitimate revenge motivation following their 17-point defeat in M#71, whilst Telugu pursue consolidation of their superior positioning.

Expect a closely contested affair where defensive discipline determines the outcome. Haryana's recent resurgence, combined with their superior tournament record, suggests competitive equilibrium, yet Telugu's proven ability to perform under pressure – evidenced through their remarkable playoff qualification – provides confidence in their capacity to execute their game plan with clinical precision.

Match Details

• Match: Haryana Steelers vs Telugu Titans – Match 103, PKL Season 12
• Date: Wednesday, 22nd 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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