A Pardeep Narwal-inspired Patna Pirates won a close game against Dabang Delhi K.C. 38-35 at the Dome@NSCI SVP Stadium in Mumba on Thursday. Narwal was ably supported by fellow-raider Manjeet and Left-Corner Jaideep as his team managed to turn a 26-31 deficit around late in the game.

Patna Pirates got their first lead of the game on the 8th minute after a Jaideep Block on Yogesh Hooda put them 7-6 ahead.

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Manjeet then got the game’s first Super Raid in the 10th minute, getting touches on Ravinder Pahal, Rajesh Narwal and Vishal Mane to give Patna Pirates a four-point lead. Pardeep Narwal’s touch on Hooda reduced Dabang Delhi K.C. to a solitary player on the mat before Kuldeep Singh’s tackle helped Patna Pirates inflict the first All-Out of the game in the 13th minute with the scores reading 16-10 in their favour.

Dabang Delhi K.C. then earned six of the eight points scored before halftime as they managed to reduce the deficit to one point and, in the process, also reduced Patna Pirates to just two men at halftime.

The second half started with Mane tackling Narwal to reduce Patna Pirates to one player on the mat before Rajesh Narwal enforced the All-Out for Dabang Delhi K.C. to put them back into the lead.  Narwal, however, levelled the scores in the 3rd minute as he got touches on Pahal, Mane and Shabeer Bappu. He also got to his 8th Super 10 of the season in the process.

Naveen got his Super 10 in the 7th minute with a touch on Vikas Kale as Dabang Delhi K.C. led 26-23.

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After sustained attempts, Patna Pirates were successful in their comeback as they levelled the scores at 33-33 in the 18th minute before Narwal helped them inflict a second All-Out. This put them back into the lead and in firm control of the match with two minutes to play and a four-point lead.

They were able to hold onto their lead this time as the match finished 38-35 in their favour, propelling them to the top of Zone B.

Top Performers

Patna Pirates

Top Raider – Pardeep Narwal (16 raid points)

Top Defender – Jaideep (4 tackle points)

Dabang Delhi K.C.

Top Raider – Naveen Kumar (15 raid points)

Top Defender – Rajesh Narwal (3 tackle points)