Three tackle points in the final minute of the game saw Patna Pirates beat the Haryana Steelers 30-27. The result ended the Steelers’ campaign and helped the Puneri Paltan qualify for the vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 8 playoffs.

The Pirates got off to a strong start and took a four-point lead, courtesy of three touch points from Sachin and a point each from Prashanth Kumar Rai and Mohammadreza Chiyaneh. Neeraj’s strong Block on Meetu and Sachin’s fourth touch point of the night reduced the Steelers to a solitary man on the mat. The Pirates’ defence sat deep and let Ravi Kumar pick up the bonus before pinning him down to inflict the game’s first All Out and take a 12-4 lead.

The Steelers conjured a strong response as they embarked on a 5-1 run to reduce the Pirates to two players on the mat. A touch point from Vikash Kandola left Patna with only Sachin on the mat, and the raider was afforded nothing more than a bonus point before being pinned down, as Haryana inflicted an All Out to cut the Pirates’ lead to just two.

Patna finished the half with a 2-1 run to go into the break leading 17-14.

The opening few minutes of the second half saw both teams add three points to their total before a 2-0 from the Steelers cut their deficit to a solitary point.

Two tackle points from Mohammadreza and a two-point raid from Sachin pushed the Pirates’ lead up to five. But a Super Tackle from Jaideep and a two-point raid from Ashish in quick succession saw Haryana cut Patna’s lead to a solitary point again.

Veteran Left Corner Surender Nada’s stellar Ankle Hold helped the Steelers draw level on the scoreboard, but a Super Tackle from Shubham Shinde saw Patna pull ahead on the scoreboard with under a minute left.

In the game’s penultimate raid, Ashish ventured deep into the Pirates’ half to try and tag multiple defenders, but the raider was pinned down by Mohammadreza, who picked up his ninth High 5 of the season.

Sachin went in for the game’s final raid and saw the clock wind down to zero before returning to his team’s half to confirm the Pirates’ victory and Haryana’s elimination.

Top Performers

Patna Pirates

Best Raider – Sachin (8 Raid Points)

Best Defender – Mohammadreza Chiyaneh (5 Tackle Points)

Haryana Steelers

Best Raider – Ashish (8 Raid Points)

Best Defender – Jaideep (5 Tackle Points)