New Delhi, Oct 25 (NationPress) The three-time champions Patna Pirates achieved their sixth consecutive victory by defeating former champions U Mumba with a score of 40-31 in Season 12 of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium in New Delhi during Play-in 2 on Saturday.

Ayan contributed 14 points, but it was a remarkable defensive performance that saw the Pirates secure 16 points led by Navdeep (7) and Ankit (4), propelling them into Eliminator 1 against the Jaipur Pink Panthers.

Both teams began the match energetically, trading early points that kept the fans engaged. The Pirates’ star raider Ayan Lohchab was tackled by Amirmohammad Zafardanesh on the match's opening raid, but U Mumba quickly retaliated as Sandeep touched Deepak.

For every point U Mumba scored, the Pirates had a counter. Milan Dahiya executed a two-point raid by touching Parvesh Bhainswal and Vijay Kumar, but shortly after, Ajit Chouhan performed a Super Raid, tackling Ayan, Navdeep, and Balaji D., leaving the score at 10-9 in favor of U Mumba after the initial ten minutes.

As the second quarter commenced, Ayan was again tackled by Vijay Kumar, yet Pirates captain Ankit managed a Super Tackle against Sandeep. The Pirates pulled ahead by two points, with Navdeep tackling both Ajit Chouhan and Sandeep. U Mumba’s unforced errors allowed the Pirates to extend their lead to four points.

The Pirates quickly inflicted an All Out on U Mumba after Ayan tackled Zafardanesh, followed by a touch on Vijay Kumar and then Deepak tackling Sachin Narwal. This pushed the Pirates' lead to seven points, but U Mumba managed a few points, concluding the first half at 20-15.

As the second half began, the intensity continued, with U Mumba’s Ajit Chouhan earning a bonus. Ayan further increased the lead to six points with a two-point raid, bringing the score to 27-21 at the end of the third quarter, setting the stage for an exciting final 10 minutes.

With only three U Mumba players remaining on the mat, they were reduced to two when Sachin Narwal was tackled by Navdeep during a do-or-die raid. Ayan secured his Super 10 by tackling Lokesh Ghosliya, while Navdeep achieved a High Five by tackling Satish Kannan, resulting in a second All Out for U Mumba.

This felt like the decisive blow, expanding the lead to ten points. U Mumba fought back, with Rinku tackling Ayan and Ajit Chouhan earning a bonus point before scoring again with a two-point raid, narrowing the gap to six points.

Substitute Sudhakar M contributed for the Pirates, earning a touch point against Parvesh, but shortly after, Ayan was tackled by Ajit, who also achieved his Super 10. U Mumba managed to reduce the Pirates to three players. With one minute left on the clock, Navdeep’s Super Tackle on Ajit Chouhan and Milan Dahiya’s successful raid essentially sealed the match. Ayan capped off the game with a Super Raid, leading the Pirates to a nine-point victory over U Mumba.