The Patna Pirates fought hard but couldn’t keep up with a determined Haryana Steelers side, losing 32-39 at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium. Haryana Steelers broke their five-match losing streak and moved up to sixth on the points table. Despite the loss, raider Ayan Lohchab and defender Vaibhav Garje were standout performers, keeping the Patna Pirates competitive edge throughout the match.
Bright Start for Patna Pirates
The match started fast, with both teams trading early points. Maninder Singh and Vinay opened the scoring for Haryana Steelers and Patna Pirates respectively. Ayan Lohchab made an instant impact, scoring with a multi-point raid and following it with a tackle on Shivam Patare. Both teams struggled with their first Do-Or-Die raids, keeping the start tight.
Haryana Steelers’ defence stayed strong, with Hardeep and Rahul Sethpal making key tackles. Patna Pirates then took an 8-6 lead after ten minutes thanks to Balaji D’s tackle and Ayan Lohchab’s raids. Haryana Steelers quickly responded with a Super Tackle from Rahul Sethpal. Later, Ayan Lohchab helped the Patna Pirates open a seven-point gap and inflicted the first ALL OUT of the match. Haryana Steelers struck back through Hardeep’s defence and Shivam Patare’s raids.
By halftime, the Patna Pirates held a 20-14 lead. Ayan Lohchab had recorded nine raid points, while Vaibhav Garje made important tackles to keep the Patna Pirates ahead.
Haryana Steelers Fight Back in Second Half
Haryana Steelers came out strongly after the break. Ayan Lohchab started with a tackle, but the Haryana Steelers captain responded with two Super Tackles, reducing the Patna Pirates’ lead to three points. Shivam Patare brought it down further and became the first Haryana Steelers player to reach 100 raid points this season.
Ayan Lohchab’s two-point raid secured his Super 10, briefly giving the Patna Pirates a four-point lead. Haryana Steelers quickly got back on level terms with a Super Tackle from Sahil Narwal and a raid from Vinay. In the third quarter, Ghanshyam Magar’s multi-point raid helped Haryana Steelers take a one-point lead going into the final ten minutes.
The last five minutes were intense. Navdeep’s Super Tackle put the Patna Pirates briefly ahead, but Jaideep Dahiya recorded back-to-back tackles and completed his High Five. Haryana Steelers inflicted another ALL OUT with Vinay, gaining a four-point lead. Shivam Patare’s two-point raid and Sahil Narwal’s tackle ensured Haryana Steelers controlled the final moments, with Shivam completing his Super 10 as Haryana Steelers sealed the 39-32 win.
Top Performers for Patna Pirates
- Top Raider: Ayan Lohchab
- Top Defender: Navdeep
Final Words
The Patna Pirates showed great courage and never gave up, even in a high-pressure game. With Ayan Lohchab and Vaibhav Garje leading from the front, the Patna Pirates will look to regroup and come back stronger in their next match.