New Delhi, Oct 14 (NationPress) Gujarat Giants kept themselves in contention for a top eight position with a hard-fought 40-32 victory against the Patna Pirates at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Mohammadreza Shadloui’s High Five and Himanshu Singh’s Super 10 were pivotal in securing their third win in four matches, as the team appears to be gaining momentum at a crucial juncture. Despite Mandeep Kumar’s Super 10, the Pirates were unable to capitalize on his performance.

In an unexpected start, Shadloui scored the opening point of the match with his initial raid. Ayan quickly matched that for the Patna Pirates, but Rakesh Sungroya’s two-point raid gave his team an early edge. Ankit Jaglan leveled the score, allowing Patna Pirates to gain a two-point lead with contributions from Mandeep Kumar and Navdeep.

The Giants responded decisively, with Lucky Sharma executing the first Super Tackle of the match. Shadloui’s excellent tackle and Rakesh’s impressive two-point raid propelled their team to a 10-5 advantage. Mandeep Kumar retaliated for the Pirates with a Super Raid, but Lucky Sharma and Himanshu Singh ensured a 12-8 lead for their side after the first ten minutes.

In the second quarter, Himanshu Singh and Mandeep Kumar exchanged successful raids until Nitin Panwar’s tackle enabled the Gujarat Giants to inflict the game’s first all-out, extending their lead to five points (18-13). Mandeep Kumar kept Patna in contention by completing his Super 10, yet his team trailed 23-17 at halftime.

Ayan sparked some energy for his side at the start of the second half, aided by Ankit Jaglan, narrowing the deficit to three points. However, Himanshu Singh continued to shine, helping the Giants recover their six-point lead as both teams battled fiercely. With under ten minutes remaining, the Pirates reduced the gap to just two points, making the score 27-25.

The Gujarat Giants extended their lead to six points, thanks to Nitin Panwar’s super tackle and Shadloui’s couple of tackles. Himanshu Singh also reached his Super 10 milestone, putting his team in a strong position. The Patna Pirates, however, were not ready to concede, as Ankit Jaglan executed a Super Tackle, narrowing the score to 33-30 with less than three minutes left.

In a thrilling finish, Ankit Rana brought the game to a two-point difference for Patna Pirates. With the match on a knife's edge, Mohammadreza Shadloui executed a crucial two-point raid and followed it with his High Five. Thanks to his exceptional performance, the Giants completed another all-out and sealed the game at 40-32 in an exciting contest.