PKL Season 12 Eliminator 1 Preview: Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Patna Pirates – Former Coach Redhu Faces Pirates in Knockout Clash

Jaipur Pink Panthers face Patna Pirates in Eliminator 1 of PKL 12 at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium, Delhi. The Panthers (8th position, 9 wins from 18 matches) defeated reigning champions Haryana Steelers in Play In 1, facing the resurgent Pirates (7th position, 10 wins from 19 matches) who extended their winning streak to six matches after defeating U Mumba in Play In 2. This encounter presents a compelling narrative as Jaipur coach Narender Redhu confronts his former team in a knockout clash.

Probable Starting 7

Jaipur Pink Panthers

• Right Corner – Deepanshu Khatri
• Right In – Ali Samadi
• Right Cover – Mohit
• Centre – Nitin Kumar
• Left Cover – Reza Mirbagheri
• Left In – Parvinder
• Left Corner – Aryan Kumar

Patna Pirates

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

Headlines

➢ Unstoppable Ayan takes on dynamic duo Nitin Kumar and Ali Samadi

➢ Patna Pirates finished the season in a 5-game winning streak, extends to 6 after beating U Mumba

➢ Jaipur Pink Panthers defeated reigning champions Haryana Steelers

➢ Ayan has been incredible, one of the best raiders in the league

➢ Nitin Kumar and Ali Samadi key to Panthers' fortunes

➢ Coach Narender Redhu proving his mettle

➢ Corner duo – Aryan Kumar and Deepanshu Khatri shining for Jaipur

➢ Navdeep has established himself as a good right corner – High 5 in Play In

➢ Ankit with good support to Navdeep

➢ Covers the main issue for Patna Pirates

➢ Nitin Kumar and Sudhakar playing their 50th match in PKL

Top Stories of the Match

Unstoppable Ayan Takes on Dynamic Duo Nitin Kumar and Ali Samadi

Ayan has been the main reason for Patna Pirates qualifying to the playoffs. He scored almost 250 raid points in the league stage this season.

Ayan in PKL 12:

Matches: 19

Raid points: 255

Average raid points: 13.4

Raid SR%: 71%

Super 10s: 13

He has been one of the best raiders in the league this season, averaging the second-most raid points per game.

Best average raid points in PKL 12:

Devank: 271 raid points (16.9 average, 74% SR)

Ayan: 255 raid points (13.4 average, 71% SR)

Ashu Malik: 146 raid points (12.2 average, 62% SR)

He finished the season on an extremely strong note, scoring more than 15 raid points in 3 of the last 5 games.

He missed his 5th consecutive Super 10 in the last match against Jaipur Pink Panthers, only because they had taken the lead early and were taking it easy.

Ayan in last five games:

Play In 2 vs U Mumba: 13 raid points at 72% SR

M#108 vs Jaipur Pink Panthers: 9 raid points at 53% SR

M#105 vs Dabang Delhi: 20 raid points at 91% SR

M#99 vs Puneri Paltan: 17 raid points at 74% SR

M#91 vs Bengal Warriorz: 27 raid points at 93% SR

Ayan has performed well in all three DIP situations, maintaining strike rates of at least 45% in each in PKL 12.

Ayan in PKL 12 (DIP-wise):

6-7 DIP: 162 raid points at 83% SR

4-5 DIP: 46 raid points at 46% SR

2-3 DIP: 45 raid points at 76% SR

He possesses the most raid points in Super Tackle situations and when there are 4-5 defenders on the mat in the entire league.

Most raid points in 2-3 DIP in PKL 12:

Ayan: 45 raid points

Alireza Mirzaian: 39 raid points

Devank: 36 raid points

Most raid points in 4-5 DIP in PKL 12:

Ayan: 46 raid points

Sandeep: 44 raid points

Shivam Patare: 37 raid points

He performed well against U Mumba in Play In 2, scoring a Super 10—his first in playoff scenarios.

Ayan in PKL playoffs:

Matches: 4

Raid points: 32

Average raid points: 8

Raid SR%: 54%

Super 10s: 1

He will be taking on Jaipur Pink Panthers with whom he has not yet achieved a Super 10 in PKL 12 across two matches.

Ayan vs Jaipur Pink Panthers PKL 12:

Raids: 30

Raid points: 15

Raid SR%: 50%

Nitin Kumar was experiencing his best raiding season in the Pro Kabaddi League before he was sidelined due to injury.

He returned from injury and helped the team qualify for playoffs and also beat Haryana Steelers in Play In 1.

Nitin Kumar in PKL (by season):

PKL 12: 155 raid points (10.3 average, 57% SR, 10 Super 10s)

PKL 11: 118 raid points (8.4 average, 46% SR, 6 Super 10s)

PKL 10: 169 raid points (8.5 average, 55% SR, 8 Super 10s)

Nitin Kumar has returned from injury with a bang for Jaipur Pink Panthers, registering three Super 10s in his last four games after the injury.

In the last match against Haryana Steelers, he scored 7 raid points and was key to securing victory.

Nitin Kumar in the last four games:

Raid points: 46

Average raid points: 11.5

Raid SR%: 57%

Super 10s: 3

Nitin has performed well in all three DIPs, especially in the 6-7 DIP.

Nitin Kumar in PKL 12 (DIP-wise):

6-7 DIP: 101 raid points at 66% SR

4-5 DIP: 26 raid points at 37% SR

2-3 DIP: 25 raid points at 58% SR

Ali Samadi has been leading the raiding unit admirably in the absence of Nitin, otherwise an able deputy.

Ali Samadi in PKL 12:

Matches: 18

Raid points: 111

Average raid points: 6.2

Raid SR%: 57%

Super 10s: 4

Ali Samadi maintains a healthy raid strike rate in all three DIP situations and, in fact, possesses a raid strike rate of 70% in Super Tackle situations.

Ali Samadi raiding DIP-wise in PKL 12:

6-7 DIP: 70 raid points at 64% SR

4-5 DIP: 27 raid points at 42% SR

2-3 DIP: 14 raid points at 70% SR

Coach Narender Redhu Proving His Mettle in the Playoffs

Narender Redhu began his coaching stint with Patna in PKL 10, developing a young and dynamic squad with no big stars in the setup. He is recognised for his tactical acumen and for employing a defence-first strategy.

• Playoffs in PKL 10 with Patna Pirates
• Finals in PKL 11 with Patna Pirates

Narender Redhu as Patna Pirates coach:

PKL 11: 25 matches, 15 wins (60% win rate)

PKL 10: 24 matches, 12 wins (50% win rate)

Even after taking the team to the Finals, Patna parted ways with Redhu, and Jaipur appointed him as the coach for PKL 12. He has repaid the faith by taking them to the playoffs.

Now, facing his former team, he will be keen to demonstrate what they would have missed.

Narender Redhu as Jaipur Pink Panthers coach:

PKL 12: 19 matches, 9 wins (47% win rate)

It will be interesting to see two teams who possess multiple PKL titles battle it out to secure a chance to fight for their next title.

Team Stories

Jaipur Pink Panthers – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results:

Play In 1 vs Haryana Steelers – Won 30–27

M#108 vs Patna Pirates – Lost 18–33

M#101 vs U Mumba – Lost 36–37

M#96 vs Bengal Warriorz – Won 38–30

M#93 vs UP Yoddhas – Won 42–29

Jaipur Pink Panthers defeated the reigning champions Haryana Steelers in Play In 1 by 3 points courtesy of strong performances from Nitin Kumar, Aryan (High 5) and Deepanshu Khatri.

Jaipur Pink Panthers experienced a mixed start with 3 wins and 3 losses in the first six games. Nitin Kumar has returned into the line-up in style after his injury, registering 3 consecutive Super 10s after his injury. He led the Jaipur team to a decent position in the table before his injury but the team went down in his absence.

Ali Samadi, who had assumed raiding responsibilities during Nitin's absence, moved to the support role. Their corners, Deepanshu Khatri and Aryan Kumar, have been good. Jaipur Pink Panthers' defence has not been amongst the best defences this season and can be better.

Jaipur Pink Panthers Relying on Aryan Kumar–Deepanshu Khatri and Support from Reza

Jaipur Pink Panthers' defence needs to be at their best as they possess the fourth-lowest tackle strike rate and average tackle points in the league this season.

Jaipur Pink Panthers defence unit in PKL 12:

Matches: 19

Tackle points: 182

Average tackle points: 9.6

Tackle SR%: 40%

In the last few games, the defence has improved overall but will need to be at their best facing the challenge of Patna Pirates.

Jaipur Pink Panthers defence in PKL 12:

Wins (9 matches): 236 tackles, 98 tackle points (10.9 average, 42% SR)

Losses (10 matches): 219 tackles, 84 tackle points (8.4 average, 38% SR)

They have peaked defensively at the right time, with their second-best performance in defence coming against Haryana Steelers in the Play In with 13 tackle points, second only to their performance against Dabang Delhi in M#67 where they scored 16 tackle points.

Jaipur Pink Panthers in PKL 12 (last 5 matches):

Play In 1 vs Haryana Steelers: 25 tackles, 13 tackle points at 52% SR – Won

M#108 vs Patna Pirates: 23 tackles, 8 tackle points at 35% SR – Lost

M#101 vs U Mumba: 20 tackles, 11 tackle points at 55% SR – Lost

M#96 vs Bengal Warriorz: 27 tackles, 11 tackle points at 41% SR – Won

M#93 vs UP Yoddhas: 28 tackles, 10 tackle points at 36% SR – Won

Aryan Kumar and Deepanshu Khatri—the corners—have combined well for the Panthers in their debut season. Only Reza and the corners have contributed significantly to Jaipur Pink Panthers in PKL 12.

Jaipur Pink Panthers defenders in PKL 12:

Aryan Kumar: 47 tackle points (2.6 average, 49% SR)

Deepanshu Khatri: 41 tackle points (2.3 average, 41% SR)

Reza Mirbagheri: 32 tackle points (1.8 average, 44% SR)

None of their top defenders possesses a tackle strike rate of 50% or above, which will be a worry for them.

Aryan and Deepanshu corner combination has worked well for Jaipur Pink Panthers in recent matches.

Jaipur Pink Panthers corners—Aryan and Deepanshu in PKL 12:

First 8 games: 76 tackles, 32 tackle points (3.6 average, 42% SR, 0 High 5s, 4 Super Tackles)

Next 10 games: 121 tackles, 56 tackle points (5.6 average, 46% SR, 3 High 5s, 3 Super Tackles)

Reza Mirbagheri, who is the experienced defender in the side, has maintained a tackle strike rate over 50% every season but possesses just over 40% this season.

Other than Reza, the defence does not have much playoff experience, which may prove beneficial to Patna Pirates.

Reza Mirbagheri season by season in PKL:

PKL 12: 1.8 average tackle points at 44% SR

PKL 11: 2.5 average tackle points at 55% SR

PKL 10: 2.7 average tackle points at 53% SR

PKL 9: 2.3 average tackle points at 51% SR

A major reason for their struggle this season has been their performance when there are 6-7 defenders on the mat.

They possess the lowest tackle points and the second-lowest tackle strike rate in this DIP situation.

Lowest tackle SR% in 6-7 DIP in PKL 12:

Bengal Warriorz: 90 tackle points at 28% SR

Jaipur Pink Panthers: 80 tackle points at 31% SR

Patna Pirates: 89 tackle points at 33% SR

Right cover Aashish Kumar has been the main one struggling in this DIP.

Aashish Kumar in 6-7 DIP in PKL 12:

Tackles: 62

Tackle points: 9 Tackle

SR%: 15%

Since most raids take place in this DIP in the game, it has been reflected in the overall defence, and they have not been able to win matches easily.

They solved this right cover issue in the last match by bringing in Mohit in place of Aashish Kumar. He performed well, scored 3 tackle points and effectively plugged their defensive hole.

Mohit in 6-7 DIP in PKL 12:

Tackles: 5

Tackle points: 4

Tackle SR%: 80%

Patna Pirates – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results: Play In 2 vs U Mumba – Won 40–31

M#108 vs Jaipur Pink Panthers – Won 33–18

M#105 vs Dabang Delhi – Won 61–26

M#99 vs Puneri Paltan – Won 38–27

M#91 vs Bengal Warriorz – Won 51–49

In Play In 2, Patna Pirates overcame the U Mumba challenge, beating them by 9 points courtesy of good performances from Ayan (Super 10), Navdeep (High 5) and captain Ankit (4 tackle points).

Patna Pirates finished the season with a bang, securing 5 consecutive wins to make it to the playoffs. Patna Pirates experienced a terrible start to the season, losing their first three games and having just 1 win in their first six.

However, Ayan then stepped up to change the fortunes of the team. He has been one of the best raiders in the league and has scored more than 250 raid points. Maninder Singh was part of the starting seven in the initial stages but has been left out later.

Corners Navdeep and Ankit have performed well in defence, but cover defenders have not been able to contribute for the Pirates. The Patna Pirates defence is their weakness; they will be hoping to mitigate the damage in the playoffs.

Navdeep and Ankit – Key to Patna's Defence, Cover Positions a Worry for Patna

Navdeep has been the best defender for Patna Pirates this season and scored a High 5 in the last match, registering 7 tackle points leading the Patna defence.

Navdeep and Ankit have been performing consistently throughout the season.

Ankit scored 4 tackle points against U Mumba and ably supported Navdeep and Ayan.

Patna Pirates corners in PKL 12:

Navdeep: 57 tackle points (3.2 average, 53% SR)

Ankit: 48 tackle points (2.5 average, 46% SR)

Navdeep's performance is much better in the second half than the first half this season. He possesses a tackle strike rate of more than 60% in the 2nd half.

Navdeep performance by half PKL 12:

1st half: 22 tackle points at 43% SR

2nd half: 35 tackle points at 62% SR

His corner partner Ankit is at his best in the first 10 minutes of games, and then the tackle strike rate slowly declines in the other 3 intervals.

Ankit defence in PKL 12 by intervals:

1-10 mins: 14 tackle points at 56% SR

11-20 mins: 9 tackle points at 47% SR

21-30 mins: 14 tackle points at 44% SR

31-40 mins: 11 tackle points at 39% SR

Ankit is the only defender with significant experience in the playoffs for the Patna Pirates and he will look to make it count.

Ankit in playoffs in PKL:

Matches: 6

Tackle points: 15

Average tackle points: 2.5

Tackle SR%: 52%

Patna Pirates have tried multiple cover defenders without any luck, as none of them have been able to create a proper impact.

None of them possess a tackle strike rate of even 35% this season.

Patna Pirates covers in PKL 12:

Deepak: 25 tackle points (1.4 average, 32% SR)

Vaibhav Garje: 6 tackle points (0.8 average, 29% SR)

Sanket Sawant: 5 tackle points (0.5 average, 18% SR)

Balaji D: 3 tackle points (0.3 average, 11% SR)

They average the second-lowest tackle points in the league, and that will be their weak point going into the playoffs.

They will be facing Jaipur Pink Panthers, whose defence is also in similar jeopardy—4th lowest average tackle points with a meagre tackle strike rate of 40%.

Lowest average tackle points in PKL 12:

Bengal Warriorz: 8.9 average at 31% SR

Patna Pirates: 9.1 average at 37% SR

UP Yoddhas: 9.2 average at 38% SR

Jaipur Pink Panthers: 9.6 average at 40% SR

They achieved the best defensive performance of the season in their last game against U Mumba with 16 tackle points, peaking at the right time.

They finished the league stages strongly with a 5-match unbeaten streak which has now extended to 6.

They have registered at least 10 tackle points in five of their last seven games.

They have maintained a tackle strike rate of at least 50% in the last four games and will look to take that momentum into the playoffs.

Patna Pirates defence in the last five games:

vs U Mumba Play In 2: 28 tackles, 16 tackle points at 57% SR

vs Jaipur Pink Panthers M#108: 19 tackles, 11 tackle points at 58% SR

vs Dabang Delhi M#105: 25 tackles, 14 tackle points at 56% SR

vs Puneri Paltan M#99: 18 tackles, 9 tackle points at 50% SR

vs Bengal Warriorz M#91: 29 tackles, 8 tackle points at 28% SR

Head-to-Head in PKL

Overall: Matches – 24 | Patna Pirates – 14 | Jaipur Pink Panthers – 10 Since PKL 9: Matches – 8 | Patna Pirates – 5 | Jaipur Pink Panthers – 3

The two sides possess a similar head-to-head battle over the years, and the rivalry has remained constant. They met twice this season, one win for each team.

In playoffs, these teams have faced each other twice, one win for each team.

JPP vs PP in playoffs:

Final PKL 4: Jaipur Pink Panthers 29–37 Patna Pirates (Patna Pirates won by 8 points)

Semi Final 1 PKL 1: Jaipur Pink Panthers 38–18 Patna Pirates (Jaipur Pink Panthers won by 20 points)

Recent Form (Last 5 meetings):

M#108 PKL 12: Patna Pirates won 33–18

M#10 PKL 12: Jaipur Pink Panthers won 39–36

M#99 PKL 11: Patna Pirates won 38–28

M#41 PKL 11: Patna Pirates won 43–41

M#106 PKL 10: Patna Pirates won 36–33

Key Player Battles

Jaipur Pink Panthers Raiders vs Patna Pirates Defenders

Nitin Kumar 1–1 Navdeep

Nitin Kumar 2–0 Ankit

Ali Samadi 2–0 Ankit

Patna Pirates Raiders vs Jaipur Pink Panthers Defenders

Ayan 1–1 Aryan Kumar

Ayan 1–0 Reza Mirbagheri

Ayan 3–1 Deepanshu Khatri

What to Expect

This Eliminator 1 presents a compelling knockout encounter between two teams experiencing contrasting momentum—Patna Pirates arriving with a six-match winning streak against Jaipur Pink Panthers who demonstrated resilience in defeating reigning champions Haryana Steelers. The additional narrative layer of coach Narender Redhu confronting his former team adds psychological intrigue to this elimination match.

The central contest revolves around Ayan's exceptional raiding prowess versus Jaipur's corner combination of Aryan Kumar and Deepanshu Khatri. Ayan's remarkable form—evidenced by his 255 raid points at 71% strike rate and 13 Super 10s—positions him as the tournament's second-most prolific raider. His versatility across all DIP situations (83% in 6-7 DIP, 76% in 2-3 DIP) demonstrates capacity to penetrate defensive structures.

However, Ayan's underwhelming record against Jaipur this season (15 raid points across two matches at 50% strike rate) without achieving a Super 10 suggests Redhu's intimate knowledge of his capabilities may neutralise his effectiveness. The head-to-head records (3-1 vs Deepanshu Khatri, 1-1 vs Aryan Kumar) demonstrate competitive encounters where Jaipur's defence has occasionally contained him.

Jaipur's raiding combination presents formidable opposition. Nitin Kumar's return from injury has catalysed their playoff qualification—three Super 10s in his last four matches, averaging 11.5 raid points. His 10.3 average raid points this season, coupled with Ali Samadi's consistent 6.2 average as secondary raider, creates dual threats that Patna's vulnerable defence must contain.

The defensive matchup favours neither team decisively. Both franchises occupy the bottom quartile for average tackle points—Patna averaging 9.1 (second-lowest) and Jaipur 9.6 (fourth-lowest). Patna's cover positions remain problematic (none exceeding 35% strike rate), whilst Jaipur's 6-7 DIP vulnerability (31% strike rate, second-lowest in league) represents critical weakness.

The tactical adjustment replacing Aashish Kumar with Mohit has stabilised Jaipur's right cover position (80% strike rate in 6-7 DIP versus Aashish's 15%), potentially neutralising their primary defensive vulnerability. Conversely, Patna's corner combination—Navdeep (3.2 average, 53% strike rate with High 5 in Play In 2) and Ankit (playoff experience, 4 tackle points in Play In 2)—provides defensive reliability their covers cannot match.

Patna's momentum—six consecutive victories and improved defensive performances (at least 50% strike rate in last four matches, 16 tackle points against U Mumba)—contrasts with Jaipur's inconsistent form (lost 2 of last 3 league matches before Play In victory). However, Redhu's tactical familiarity with Patna's systems and his defence-first coaching philosophy may exploit their cover weaknesses effectively.

The psychological dimension cannot be overlooked. Redhu's motivation to vindicate his capabilities against the franchise that released him after reaching finals creates emotional stakes. His intimate knowledge of Patna's personnel—having developed Ayan into the league's second-best raider—provides strategic advantages in defensive planning.

Expect a closely contested encounter determined by marginal defensive improvements and Ayan's capacity to overcome Redhu's strategic countermeasures. Patna's superior momentum and Ayan's exceptional form provide slight advantage, though Jaipur's dual raiding threats and corner defensive combination possess capacity to exploit Patna's cover vulnerabilities. The winner will likely be determined by which defence elevates performance beyond their season-long mediocrity. Patna's six-match winning streak and Navdeep's peak form suggest they possess marginal psychological advantage, though Redhu's tactical acumen may engineer the upset that continues Jaipur's championship aspirations.

Match Details

• Match: Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Patna Pirates – Eliminator 1, PKL Season 12
• Date: Sunday, 26th 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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