PKL 12: Haryana Steelers secure narrow victory over Tamil Thalaivas; Manpreet Singh records historic win as coach
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
In a thrilling Pro Kabaddi League match at Jaipur’s SMS Indoor Stadium, the Haryana Steelers edged out the Tamil Thalaivas 38-36 on Saturday night. The victory added extra shine for Steelers head coach Manpreet Singh, who notched his 100th win as a PKL coach—a first in league history.
The game kicked off with high energy. Tamil Thalaivas star raider Arjun Deshwal wasted no time, scoring early points and leading a strong defense anchored by Ronak and Himanshu. Arjun’s aggressive raids sparked an All Out, putting the Thalaivas ahead as they exploited every gap in the Steelers’ line.
Haryana didn’t stay down for long. Raider Vinay shook off a slow start and fired back with back-to-back successful raids. Defender Jaideep stepped up big, tackling threats like Moein Shafaghi and Rohit Beniwal to keep his team in the fight. The Steelers pounced on Thalaivas mistakes, building momentum.
Halfway through the first half, Haryana flipped the script with their own All Out. Vinay teamed up with Shivam Patare for game-changing raids, while Jaideep led a fierce defense. Points flew fast as both teams traded blows, tightening the score.
Arjun kept pressuring Haryana right to halftime, racking up points consistently. But Vinay’s raids held strong, sending the Steelers into the break with a 25-16 lead.
The second half ramped up the excitement. Deshwal dominated again, dodging defenders like Jaideep and Sahil Narwal in quick raids. Himanshu’s solid tackles denied Haryana key points during tense Do-Or-Die moments.
Haryana countered hard with substitute Mayank Saini bursting onto the mat. He scored multi-point raids, taking out Ronak and Anuj Gawade in one go, then later nabbing Nitesh Kumar. Shivam Patare added smart raids to keep Tamil on their toes, energizing the Steelers bench.
Tension built as the match turned defensive, with empty raids and failed Do-Or-Dies on both sides. The Thalaivas’ Arulnanthababu landed a brilliant Super Tackle to stay alive, and with under five minutes left, the score sat razor-close.
In the clutch, Haryana’s poise shone through. Vinay broke free for a pivotal raid, and Hardeep’s late tackle on Arjun stopped a potential Thalaivas rally. The Steelers defended smartly to the end, clinching the 38-36 win and etching Manpreet Singh’s milestone into PKL lore.
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