Two teams seeking playoff consolidation clash in Match 55 of PKL 12 as Telugu Titans host struggling Patna Pirates. The Titans' balanced approach, built around their dynamic raiding duo, faces the Pirates' over-reliance on Ayan's individual brilliance, with both teams desperate for wins to cement their qualification credentials.

Probable Starting 7

Telugu Titans

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

Patna Pirates

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

Headlines

➢ Vijay Malik and Bharat Hooda – dynamic duo leading Titan charge
➢ Vijay Malik and bonus points – match made on the mat
➢ Titans with their strong defence complimenting their dynamic duo
➢ Titans will need more effort from the supporting raiders
➢ Patna Pirates struggling with their defensive output
➢ Will Maninder and Ayan end Patna Pirates' woes?

Top Stories of the Match

Vijay Malik and Bharat Hooda – Dynamic Duo Leading Titan Charge

The Telugu Titans have discovered the perfect raiding partnership in captain Vijay Malik and Bharat Hooda, who together have shouldered the attacking burden with remarkable efficiency. Their combined contribution represents 81% of the team's total raid points, creating one of PKL 12's most formidable partnerships.

Statistical comparison of the dynamic duo:

  • Vijay Malik: 80 raid points (8.0 average, 49% SR, 3 Super 10s, 40% team contribution)
  • Bharat Hooda: 82 raid points (8.2 average, 56% SR, 4 Super 10s, 41% team contribution)

Vijay Malik's bonus point mastery has become his defining characteristic this season. Ranking 3rd in PKL 12 with 34 bonus points, he's established himself as one of the league's premier bonus specialists.

His recent tactical approach shows fascinating evolution – in 4 of his last 5 matches, over 50% of his points came via bonus:

  • vs Puneri Paltan: 7 points (6 bonus, 86%)
  • vs Bengaluru Bulls: 9 points (5 bonus, 56%)
  • vs Dabang Delhi K.C.: 5 points (3 bonus, 60%)
  • vs Tamil Thalaivas: 10 points (3 bonus, 30%)
  • vs Gujarat Giants: 7 points (4 bonus, 57%)

However, concerning trends have emerged in his recent performances. His half-wise splits reveal declining second-half effectiveness:

Vijay Malik's half-wise comparison:

  • First 5 matches: 1st half (17 points, 50% SR) vs 2nd half (25 points, 57% SR)
  • Last 5 matches: 1st half (24 points, 56% SR) vs 2nd half (14 points, 34% SR)

Bharat Hooda provides the perfect complement, delivering consistently across both halves with particular excellence after the interval. His 3rd-best second-half success rate in PKL 12 (minimum 50 raids) demonstrates clutch mentality.

Bharat's half-wise excellence:

  • 1st half: 39 points at 50% SR
  • 2nd half: 43 points at 63% SR

His tactical versatility shows in his scoring methods:

  • Hand touch: 22 raid points (primary weapon)
  • Bonus points: 11 raid points
  • Jump: 4 raid points

The captaincy duel between Vijay Malik and Ankit Jaglan adds intrigue, with their head-to-head perfectly balanced at 3-3.

Team Stories

Telugu Titans – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results:

  • M#47 vs Gujarat Giants – Won 30–29 (nail-biting 1-point victory)
  • M#42 vs Tamil Thalaivas – Won 43–29 (dominant 14-point victory)
  • M#37 vs Dabang Delhi K.C. – Lost 29–33 (4-point defeat to table-toppers)
  • M#34 vs Bengaluru Bulls – Lost 32–34 (heartbreaking 2-point loss)
  • M#32 vs Puneri Paltan – Lost 33–39 (6-point defeat)

The Titans' season epitomises inconsistency, with 5 wins and 5 defeats leaving them in 4th position – firmly in playoff contention but lacking the consistency of true title contenders.

Their recent form shows improvement – consecutive victories over Tamil Thalaivas and Gujarat Giants suggest they've rediscovered winning ways after a troubling three-match losing streak.

The dynamic duo's dominance has been both a blessing and a concern, providing reliable points whilst exposing the lack of depth in supporting roles.

Titans with a Strong Defence Supporting Raiding

The defensive unit has provided solid support, averaging 10.5 tackle points per match at 44% success rate. More importantly, their performance correlation with results demonstrates their importance:

Defensive splits by results:

  • In wins (5 matches): 11.4 average tackle points at 50% SR (57 total from 115 tackles)
  • In losses (5 matches): 9.6 average tackle points at 38% SR (48 total from 125 tackles)

The experienced quartet provides balanced contributions:

  • Ankit: 23 tackle points (2.3 average, 45% SR, 25 assists)
  • Shubham Shinde: 20 tackle points (2.0 average, 44% SR, 24 assists)
  • Ajit Pawar: 19 tackle points (1.9 average, 49% SR, 26 assists)
  • Avi Duhan: 15 tackle points (1.7 average, 50% SR, 20 assists)

The impressive assist numbers (all four main defenders with 20+ assists) demonstrate excellent coordination and teamwork within the defensive structure.

Interestingly, raiders contribute defensively – Bharat (10 tackle points) and Chetan Sahu (7 tackle points) add defensive depth, though this highlights potential defensive vulnerabilities when primary defenders struggle.

Telugu Titans Will Need More Effort from Support Raiders

The over-reliance on their dynamic duo represents the Titans' primary concern. Removing Vijay Malik and Bharat from the equation reveals alarming lack of depth:

Support raiders' statistics:

  • Combined contribution: 38 raid points in 10 matches (3.8 per match average)
  • Zero Super 10s or super raids among all support raiders
  • Chetan Sahu: 17 points (2.1 average, 35% SR)
  • Ashish Narwal: 11 points (1.8 average, 46% SR)
  • Praful Zaware: 4 points (1.3 average, 80% SR)

This dependence creates vulnerability – any injury or form dip to either primary raider could derail their season. The support cast must step up to transform the Titans from playoff contenders to championship challengers.

Patna Pirates – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results:

  • M#51 vs Bengal Warriorz – Lost 42–48 (6-point defeat)
  • M#43 vs Dabang Delhi K.C. – Won 33–30 (famous upset)
  • M#38 vs Haryana Steelers – Lost 32–43 (11-point defeat)
  • M#27 vs U Mumba – Lost 39–40 (heartbreaking 1-point loss)
  • M#22 vs Puneri Paltan – Won 48–37 (dominant 11-point victory)

The three-time champions languish in second-last position with just 2 wins in 8 matches, their worst start to a PKL season in recent memory. Despite famous victories over Puneri Paltan and Dabang Delhi K.C., they've failed to build momentum.

The fundamental issue remains defensive fragility, undermining even their improved attacking output.

Patna Pirates Struggling with Their Defensive Output

The defensive collapse represents the primary cause of their struggles. Averaging just 8.75 tackle points per match at 35% success rate, they rank among the league's worst defensive units.

Performance splits reveal the issue:

  • In wins (2 matches): 12.0 average tackle points at 46% SR
  • In losses (6 matches): 7.7 average tackle points at 31% SR

Only captain Ankit provides consistent returns with 24 tackle points (3.0 average, 51% SR) and 2 High 5s – the only defender to achieve the milestone this season.

Defensive statistics paint grim picture:

  • Deepak Singh: 17 tackle points (2.1 average, 38% SR)
  • Navdeep: 11 tackle points (1.4 average, 29% SR)
  • Sanket Sawant: 5 tackle points (0.6 average, 19% SR)

The lack of coordination and collective effort contrasts sharply with previous championship-winning campaigns, where defensive solidity formed their foundation.

Can Ayan and Maninder Singh Help Patna Pirates End Their Woes?

Paradoxically, raiding performance is superior in defeats (23.7 average at 57% SR) compared to victories (20.5 average at 51% SR), confirming that defensive issues – not attacking output – cause their struggles.

Ayan's brilliance continues to be the lone bright spot, carrying the team almost single-handedly:

  • 91 raid points in 8 matches (11.4 average, 66% SR)
  • 4 Super 10s demonstrate consistent excellence
  • Contributes approximately 50% of team's total raid points

His time-wise analysis shows strength in crucial periods:

  • 1-10 minutes: 32 points at 78% SR (explosive starts)
  • 11-20 minutes: 19 points at 66% SR (maintaining momentum)
  • 21-30 minutes: 24 points at 73% SR (third quarter dominance)
  • 31-40 minutes: 16 points at 47% SR (late-game struggles)

Maninder Singh's return provides hope, having delivered 39 raid points in 5 matches (7.8 average, 65% SR) with 2 Super 10s. His 12-point Super 10 against former club Bengal Warriorz at 80% success rate demonstrated his enduring quality.

The challenge lies in maintaining both raiders' fitness and form simultaneously whilst addressing defensive frailties.

Head-to-Head in PKL

Overall: Matches – 25 | Patna Pirates – 13 | Telugu Titans – 11 | Tied – 1

The historical record slightly favours Patna Pirates, though recent dominance has been emphatic. Since PKL 7, the Pirates have won 11 of 13 encounters, with Telugu Titans managing just 2 victories.

Recent Form (Last 5 meetings):

  • PKL 11 M#120: Patna Pirates won 41–37
  • PKL 11 M#22: Telugu Titans won 28–26
  • PKL 10 M#119: Patna Pirates won 38–36
  • PKL 10 M#8: Patna Pirates won 50–28 (22-point rout)
  • PKL 9 M#95: Patna Pirates won 36–35

The closely contested recent encounters suggest another thriller, with the Titans' current form potentially shifting the balance.

Key Player Battles

Telugu Titans' Raiders vs Patna Pirates' Defenders

  • Vijay Malik 3–3 Ankit (perfectly matched)
  • Vijay Malik 5–1 Sanket Sawant
  • Bharat 5–2 Sanket Sawant
  • Bharat 1–1 Ankit

Patna Pirates' Raiders vs Telugu Titans' Defenders

  • Maninder Singh 4–3 Shubham Shinde
  • Maninder Singh 3–0 Ajit Pawar
  • Ayan 2–3 Ankit

What to Expect

This encounter promises to be a fascinating contrast between contrasting philosophies – Telugu Titans' balanced partnership approach versus Patna Pirates' individual brilliance model.

The key battle lies in whether the Titans' dynamic duo can exploit the Pirates' defensive frailties, whilst Ayan and Maninder attempt to overcome the Titans' coordinated defensive structure.

Expect a high-scoring affair where attacking brilliance could overshadow defensive struggles, with the team finding secondary contributions likely to emerge victorious.

Match Details

  • Match: Telugu Titans vs Patna Pirates – Match 55, PKL Season 12
  • Date: Tuesday, 30th September 2025
  • Time: 7:30 PM IST
  • Venue: SDAT Multi Purpose Indoor Stadium, Chennai
  • 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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