PKL Season 12 Match 83 Preview: Patna Pirates vs Gujarat Giants – Pirates Seek to End Five-Match Losing Streak

Patna Pirates face Gujarat Giants in Match 83 of PKL 12 at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium, Delhi. The struggling Pirates (12th position, 3 wins from 12 matches) desperately need victory to revive fading playoff hopes against resurgent Gujarat Giants (10th position, 6 wins from 13 matches), who arrive having won three of their last four matches and showing renewed belief in their playoff ambitions.

Probable Starting 7

Patna Pirates

Right Corner – Navdeep

Right In – Maninder Singh

Right Cover – Deepak Singh

Centre – Sudhakar M

Left Cover – Balaji D

Left In – Ayan

Left Corner – Ankit (C)

Gujarat Giants

Right Corner – Lucky Sharma

Right In – Visvanth V

Right Cover – Nitin Panwar

Centre – Rakesh (C)

Left Cover – Rohit Nandal

Left In – Ankit Dahiya

Left Corner – Mohammadreza Shadloui

Headlines

➢ Two teams from bottom half of table face each other in crucial encounter

➢ Gujarat Giants picked up form with back-to-back wins before losing to Dabang Delhi

➢ Ayan vs Shadloui – battle of two in-form players headlines the match

➢ Shadloui showing improved performances after slow start to season

➢ Patna Pirates defence letting down team with no regular performers

➢ Rakesh leading Gujarat Giants raiding unit with four Super 10s

➢ Lucky Sharma in good form since entering starting lineup

➢ Patna Pirates lost four of last five matches after defeating Dabang Delhi

Top Stories of the Match

Ayan vs Showstopper Shadloui in Battle of Two In-Form Players

Ayan continues his superb form, leading the Pirates raiding unit this season with 8 Super 10s in the 12 matches he's played.

Ayan in PKL 12:

Matches: 12

Raid points: 150

Average: 12.5

Raid SR%: 69%

Super 10s: 8

He possesses the second-best average raid points per match amongst all raiders this season, trailing only the record-breaking Devank.

Best average raid points in PKL 12:

Devank: 16.9 average

Ayan: 12.5 average

Ashu Malik: 12.1 average

His raiding efficiency places him third-best in the league for strike rate amongst raiders with at least 100 raid points this season.

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

Devank: 220 raid points at 73% SR

Gagan Gowda: 116 raid points at 71% SR

Ayan: 150 raid points at 69% SR

Ayan demonstrates exceptional proficiency in specific game situations. He shares the joint-best raid strike rate when 4-5 defenders are on the mat, and possesses the second-best raid strike rate in 2-3 defender situations in PKL 12.

Best raid SR% in 4-5 DIP in PKL 12 (10+ raid points):

Ayan: 66 raids, 31 raid points at 47% SR

Nitin Kumar: 49 raids, 23 raid points at 47% SR

Shivam Patare: 54 raids, 25 raid points at 46% SR

Best raid SR% in 2-3 DIP in PKL 12 (minimum 20 raids):

Aditya Shinde: 21 raids, 21 raid points at 100% SR

Ayan: 27 raids, 20 raid points at 74% SR

Ashu Malik: 45 raids, 30 raid points at 67% SR

His first-half dominance has been particularly outstanding. Ayan possesses the best raid strike rate in the league during the opening 20 minutes amongst raiders with at least 50 raid points.

Best raid SR% in 1st half in PKL 12 (50+ raid points):

Ayan: 88 raid points at 79% SR

Devank: 99 raid points at 68% SR

Gagan Gowda: 58 raid points at 67% SR

His recent form has been sensational. Ayan has recorded five consecutive Super 10s in his last five matches, averaging an impressive 14.8 raid points per match.

Ayan in PKL 12 (last 5 matches):

Raid points: 74

Average raid points: 14.8

Raid SR%: 76%

Super 10s: 5

However, Shadloui has historically dominated their head-to-head battle in PKL.

Head-to-head in PKL:

Ayan: 1–6 Shadloui

The Iranian defender was in excellent form against Dabang Delhi in the last match, securing a High 5 with five tackle points from six tackles at 83% strike rate.

Shadloui vs Dabang Delhi in M#75:

Tackles: 6

Tackle points: 5

Tackle SR%: 83%

Shadloui has bounced back to form after enduring one of his worst starts to a season. He's scored at least four tackle points in three of the last five matches, demonstrating renewed defensive authority.

Shadloui defence in PKL 12:

First 8 games: 31 tackles, 9 tackle points (1.1 average, 29% SR, 0 High 5s)

Next 5 games: 30 tackles, 16 tackle points (3.2 average, 53% SR, 2 High 5s)

His record against Patna Pirates has been exceptional. Shadloui has three High 5s in six matches against this opponent, averaging 3.8 tackle points at 62% strike rate.

Shadloui vs Patna Pirates in PKL:

Matches: 6

Tackle points: 23

Average tackle points: 3.8

Tackle SR%: 62%

The entire Gujarat Giants defensive unit was in excellent form last match, producing five super tackles whilst pushing Dabang Delhi all the way.

Gujarat Giants defence vs Dabang Delhi in M#75:

Tackles: 27

Tackle points: 15

Tackle SR%: 56%

Corners Stepping Up for Patna Pirates Defence, But Cover Defenders Struggling

Patna Pirates' defensive unit has struggled catastrophically this season. They possess the lowest average tackle points in the league and remain the only team yet to reach 100 tackle points in PKL 12.

Patna Pirates defence in PKL 12:

Matches: 12

Tackle points: 99

Average tackle points: 8.3

Tackle SR%: 33%

10+ tackle points: 5 matches

The Pirates' defensive statistics represent the league's worst performance.

Lowest average tackle points in PKL 12:

Patna Pirates: 8.2 average at 33% SR (12 matches)

Bengal Warriorz: 8.5 average at 31% SR (13 matches)

Jaipur Pink Panthers: 9.2 average at 39% SR (13 matches)

The corner defender partnership of Ankit and Navdeep has shouldered the defensive burden, accounting for more than 50% of the Pirates' total tackle points.

Patna Pirates starting defenders in PKL 12:

Ankit & Navdeep vs cover defenders:

132 tackles vs 87 tackles

58 tackle points vs 22 tackle points

44% tackle SR% vs 25% tackle SR%

3 High 5s vs 0 High 5s

Ankit demonstrates significantly superior performance in the opening half, with his tackle strike rate declining dramatically after the interval.

Ankit defence by half in PKL 12:

1st half: 15 tackle points at 54% SR

2nd half: 15 tackle points at 38% SR

Navdeep has found form recently, maintaining a tackle strike rate exceeding 50% in the last six matches and scoring 3+ tackle points in five of those six games.

Navdeep in PKL 12 (last 6 matches):

Tackles: 41

Tackle points: 21

Average tackle points: 3.5

Tackle SR%: 51%

Against Gujarat Giants' improving raiding unit led by Rakesh, the corner defenders must maintain their recent form whilst the cover defenders desperately need to contribute meaningfully.

Rakesh Coming Into Form at Right Time for Gujarat Giants

Gujarat Giants' raiding performance has been poor this season, as they've struggled to make consistent impact. They possess both the lowest average raid points per match and the lowest raid strike rate in PKL 12.

Lowest average raid points in PKL 12:

Gujarat Giants: 18.1 average at 42% SR (13 matches)

Tamil Thalaivas: 19.4 average at 47% SR (14 matches)

Bengaluru Bulls: 19.4 average at 47% SR (14 matches)

The Giants produced two excellent raiding performances before struggling against Dabang Delhi in the last match, managing only 16 raid points. Their raid strike rate dropped dramatically from nearly 60% in the previous two matches to just 40% against Delhi.

Gujarat Giants raiding in last three matches:

vs Dabang Delhi M#75: 40 raids, 16 raid points at 40% SR

vs UP Yoddhas M#74: 44 raids, 26 raid points at 59% SR

vs Bengal Warriorz M#64: 43 raids, 26 raid points at 60% SR

Rakesh has recorded the most Super 10s for Gujarat Giants this season with four, maintaining a 50% raid strike rate whilst captaining his side to three wins in the last five matches.

Rakesh in PKL 12:

Matches: 13

Raid points: 103

Average raid points: 7.9

Raid SR%: 50%

Super 10s: 4

His interval-wise performance reveals stark contrasts. Rakesh starts in amazing style during the first half but loses steam significantly in the second half this season, with more than double the raid points in the opening 20 minutes.

Rakesh raiding by half in PKL 12:

1st half: 72 raid points at 62% SR

2nd half: 31 raid points at 36% SR

The correlation between Rakesh's performance and team results is remarkable. His statistics in victories dwarf those in defeats, highlighting his central importance to Gujarat Giants' success.

Rakesh raiding in PKL 12:

Wins: 4 matches, 50 raid points (12.5 average, 60% SR)

Losses: 9 matches, 53 raid points (5.9 average, 44% SR)

Despite struggling in the last match with just three raid points at 25% strike rate, Rakesh had produced back-to-back Super 10s in the two games before that.

Rakesh raiding in last three matches:

vs Dabang Delhi M#75: 12 raids, 3 raid points at 25% SR

vs UP Yoddhas M#74: 25 raids, 20 raid points at 80% SR

vs Bengal Warriorz M#64: 25 raids, 18 raid points at 72% SR

The supporting raiders have failed to provide consistent assistance. None of them average more than five raid points per match, and most possess raid strike rates below 50%.

Gujarat Giants support raiders in PKL 12:

Himanshu Singh: 10 matches, 29 raid points (2.9 average, 41% SR)

Mohammadreza Shadloui: 13 matches, 21 raid points (1.6 average, 40% SR)

Parteek Dahiya: 4 matches, 14 raid points (3.5 average, 39% SR)

However, last match Himanshu Singh came off the bench to secure a wonderful Super 10. If he maintains this form alongside Rakesh, they could form a potent combination.

Himanshu Singh vs Dabang Delhi in M#75:

Raids: 12

Raid points: 11

Raid SR%: 92%

Against Patna Pirates' catastrophic defence – the league's worst with just 33% tackle strike rate – Rakesh and his supporting cast face ideal conditions to produce match-winning raid totals.

Team Stories

Patna Pirates – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results:

M#81 vs Haryana Steelers – Lost 32–39

M#69 vs Tamil Thalaivas – Lost 37–56

M#68 vs UP Yoddhas – Won 36–28

M#55 vs Telugu Titans – Lost 28–37

M#51 vs Bengal Warriorz – Lost 42–48

Patna Pirates have endured a disastrous campaign, languishing at the bottom of the table with just three wins from 12 matches. Each victory has come in different legs – one each in Visakhapatnam, Jaipur and Chennai – suggesting isolated successes rather than sustained form.

The Pirates have now lost four of their last five matches after pulling off a stunning upset victory over table-topping Dabang Delhi. This inconsistency has defined their season, with their inability to build momentum proving catastrophic for playoff ambitions.

Ayan leads the Patna Pirates charge with over 150 raid points, emerging as one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal campaign. His eight Super 10s demonstrate individual excellence, but the lack of supporting raiders has left him isolated.

The defensive unit represents the season's defining catastrophe. With the league's lowest average tackle points and worst tackle strike rate, the defence has systematically undermined even Ayan's outstanding raiding performances. Without dramatic improvement from defenders, the Pirates face mathematical elimination from playoff contention.

Gujarat Giants – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results:

M#75 vs Dabang Delhi – Lost 33–39

M#74 vs UP Yoddhas – Won 41–39

M#64 vs Bengal Warriorz – Won 47–40

M#60 vs U Mumba – Lost 25–40

M#53 vs UP Yoddhas – Won 33–27

Gujarat Giants have found form at a crucial juncture, winning three of their previous four matches before losing narrowly to Dabang Delhi. This resurgence has lifted them to 10th position, keeping playoff hopes alive.

The Giants demonstrated resilience against Delhi despite defeat, producing five super tackles and pushing the league leaders all the way. This fighting spirit suggests growing belief within the squad as they enter the season's decisive phase.

Rakesh has led the raiding unit with renewed confidence, recording four Super 10s whilst captaining effectively. His recent performances before the Delhi match – back-to-back Super 10s against UP Yoddhas and Bengal Warriorz – showcased the form required for a playoff push.

Shadloui's return to form after a poor start has been crucial. His transformation from 29% strike rate in the opening eight matches to 53% in the next five represents the defensive improvement driving Gujarat's resurgence. If both Rakesh and Shadloui maintain form alongside emerging contributors like Himanshu Singh, the Giants possess sufficient quality to challenge for playoff qualification.

Head-to-Head in PKL

Overall: Matches – 15 | Patna Pirates – 8 | Gujarat Giants – 6 | Tied – 1

Patna Pirates maintain slight historical superiority, having won eight of 15 encounters. More significantly, the Pirates haven't lost to Gujarat Giants in the last four meetings – winning three and drawing one.

Recent Form (Last 5 meetings):

PKL 11 M#125: Tied 40–40

PKL 11 M#47: Pirates won 40–27

PKL 10 M#96: Pirates won 32–20

PKL 10 M#11: Pirates won 33–30

PKL 9 M#113: Giants won 34–40

This psychological advantage could prove significant, though Patna Pirates' current form suggests historical dominance may not translate to present success given their catastrophic defensive struggles.

Key Player Battles

Patna Pirates' Raiders vs Gujarat Giants' Defenders

Ayan 1–6 Mohammadreza Shadloui

Sudhakar 3–4 Mohammadreza Shadloui

Maninder Singh 15–8 Mohammadreza Shadloui

Gujarat Giants' Raiders vs Patna Pirates' Defenders

Rakesh 2–4 Ankit

Rakesh 2–3 Deepak

What to Expect

This encounter between two bottom-half teams presents contrasting narratives – resurgent Gujarat Giants seeking to continue their playoff push against struggling Patna Pirates desperate to salvage their disastrous campaign. The Giants arrive with confidence from winning three of their last four matches, whilst the Pirates nurse wounds from four defeats in their last five games.

The critical matchup centres on Ayan versus Shadloui. Despite Ayan's sensational form – five consecutive Super 10s averaging 14.8 raid points at 76% strike rate – Shadloui has historically dominated their encounters (6-2 head-to-head). However, Ayan's current purple patch suggests he may finally overcome this nemesis.

Patna Pirates' catastrophic defensive failure (8.3 average tackle points, 33% strike rate – league-worst) presents Rakesh and his supporting raiders with ideal conditions. If Gujarat Giants can exploit the Pirates' defensive frailties whilst containing Ayan below his 12.5 average, victory becomes highly probable.

The corner defenders' battle will prove crucial. Whilst Ankit and Navdeep have provided Patna's only defensive consistency, they face Gujarat's resurgent unit led by Shadloui (3.2 average tackle points in last five matches at 53% strike rate) and Lucky Sharma (2.3 average at 60% strike rate).

Historical head-to-head records (8-6 for Pirates, four-match unbeaten streak) provide psychological advantage to Patna, but current form and momentum overwhelmingly favour Gujarat Giants. The Pirates' inability to provide Ayan with adequate defensive support suggests another defeat despite his inevitable Super 10.

Expect Gujarat Giants to extend their winning form, securing victory to strengthen playoff credentials whilst Patna Pirates' campaign slides further towards mathematical elimination. The battle between in-form players Ayan and Shadloui will provide compelling theatre, but Gujarat's superior team balance should prove decisive.

Match Details

• Match: Patna Pirates vs Gujarat Giants – Match 83, PKL Season 12
• Date: Tuesday, 14th 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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