Jaipur, Sep 15: In a thrilling encounter, Haryana Steelers narrowly defeated Gujarat Giants 40-37 at the SMS Indoor Stadium in Jaipur on Monday (September 15). Jaideep Dahiya, the captain, was instrumental with a High Five. Shivam Patare contributed nine raid points and three tackle points, while Vinay added eight raid points. The Steelers' five Super Tackles were crucial in securing their victory.
The match kicked off with both teams displaying aggressive tactics. Vinay and Rakesh Sungroya exchanged early blows before Shubham Kumar tackled Shivam Patare during a Do-or-Die raid, giving Gujarat Giants an initial two-point lead. Rakesh scored five points in six minutes, extending the Giants' advantage.
Key Performances and Turning Points
Despite the early setback, Haryana Steelers
remained resilient. Sahil Narwal's Super Tackle narrowed the gap to 7-6. Jaideep Dahiya and Shivam Patare followed with their own Super Tackles, putting the Steelers ahead. However, Lucky Sharma's tackle for Gujarat Giants ended an eventful first quarter at 11-8.
Himanshu Singh joined forces with Rakesh Sungroya for the Giants. Rakesh crossed the 500 raid points milestone in PKL history. The scores were levelled at 14-14 when Lucky Sharma tackled Jaideep Dahiya, inflicting an ALL OUT on the Steelers.
Second Half Drama
Haryana quickly responded to regain a three-point lead through Shivam Patare's efforts. They extended their advantage to five points and registered an ALL OUT of their own, finishing the half strongly at 25-20.
Rakesh Sungroya completed his Super 10 in twelve raid attempts as Nitin Panwar tackled Vinay to give Gujarat Giants a strong start to the second half. Rakesh continued his momentum, keeping his side within striking distance by reducing the deficit to three points.
Final Moments and Victory
The defending champions consistently thwarted any comeback attempts by the Giants. Rahul Ahri secured a Super Tackle, while Jaideep Dahiya completed his High Five, maintaining Haryana's lead at 32-27.
Mohammadreza Shadloui tackled Shivam Patare during a Do-or-Die raid, keeping the Giants competitive with eight minutes left. Himanshu Singh's tackle brought scores level at 33-33.
The Steelers held firm in the closing stages. Rahul Sethpal, Shivam Patare, and Sahil Narwal combined defensively to restore a four-point lead with just two minutes remaining. Despite Shridhar Kadam's multi-point raid reducing the gap to two, Haryana relied on experience to deny any late surge from Gujarat.
Vinay sealed victory for Haryana as they clinched this closely contested match as PKL11 champions.
Upcoming Matches and Broadcast Details
The Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 continues with matches scheduled for Tuesday, September 15:
| Match | Teams |
|---|---|
| 1 | UP Yoddhas vs Bengal Warriorz |
| 2 | Tamil Thalaivas vs Bengaluru Bulls |
The matches are broadcast live on Star Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar from 7:30 pm onwards.
