Haryana Steelers fought resolutely to secure a thrilling win over UP Yoddhas in the first semi-final and ensure a berth in the final of Pro Kabaddi League season 11. They will face three-time champions Patna Pirates in the summit clash in Pune on Sunday (December 29, 2024). (More Sports News)
The Steelers engaged in a 💞low-scoring contest against the Yoddhas on Friday at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi in Pune to reach the final for the second consecutive time. With Shivam Patare, Vinay, and Rahul Set♔hpal playing starring roles, Steelers picked up a memorable 28-25 win.
Coach Manpreet Singh explained his team’s philosophy in the post-match confere🌳nce. “We knew UP Yoddhas will be trying to steal bonus points as throughout the season, they have relied a lot on bonuses. Even in our last game, they stole a few points from us by crossing the bonus line. So, our defence knew that we had to go for a bounce, even if we lost a few tackle points. As long as we do not give too many raids away, we will remain in a good position.”
Meanwhile, Iranian allrounder Shadloui climbed to the top in the list of defenders this season with 77 tackle points after the match. Tied alongside Patna’s Ankit Jagla💞n, Shadloui set up an exciting battle for the orange sleeve in the final.
Additionally, Rahul’s impressive positioning in the defence earned him praise from captain Jaideep at the press conference. "Rahul is a great defender. He has a solid mindset and he has been a wall in oꩵur defence. He has proved himself time and time again. He made some crucial tackles at the right moments today. I cannot praise him enough,” Jaideep said.
Now, the Steelers will gear up for the final, but the path to the trophy will not be an easy one, as they would have to square off against a side that knows only too well how to win big matches🔴. The Pirates have lifted the trophy thrice in the past, being the only franchise in history to do so. The side won the trophy three consecutive times betwee🍃n season 3 and season 5, and have established themselves a force to reckon with.
Patna Pirates’ Devank has been the best raider this season with 296 raid points, and an average raid point of 12.33, the best among all players. He has also attained 18 Super Raids, the joint-hig🃏hest of the season.
The brewing on-field rivalry between Devank and Manpreet also adds spice to the finale. The Haryana coach, known for his expressive demeanour on court, did not h𒉰old back and exchanged a few words with Devank during their last on-court meeting in December. In return, the Patna raider also did not mince his words in recent interviews, and expressed burning desire to get a win against the Steelers.
Speakin🌸g on the upcoming final, Manpreet said, “We will look to perform even better in the Final. We have reached this stage two times in a row now. This time we finished on top in the league stage. I do not need to talk much about how well we are playing this season, everyone knows it. We are filled w🌊ith confidence. I am sure we will fight even harder in the final and we will aim to give our 100 percent to play entertaining kabaddi and win the trophy."
Haryana Steelers Vs Patna Pirates: Head-To-Head Record
In PKL history, Haryana Steelers and Patna Pirates haveꦫ played each other 13 times. With seven wins against ꦏthe Patna Pirates, the Haryana Steelers are ahead in the head-to-head record, while the Patna Pirates have won five times. One match ended in a tie. The last Haryana Steelers vs Patna Pirates match saw the former win 42-36.
Haryana Steelers Vs Patna Pirates, PKL Final: Telecast, Live Streaming Details
When and where will the Haryana Steelers vs Patna Pirates, PKL final be played?
The Haryana Steelers vs Patna Pirates, PKL final will be played at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune on Sunday, December 29, 2024 at 𝔉8pm IST.
Where will the Haryana Steelers vs Patna Pirates, PKL final be telecast and live streamed?
🔜The Haryana Steelers vs Patna Pirates, PKL final will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network TV channels in India. It will be streamed live on the Disney+Hotstar app and website in India.
