PKL Season 11: Patna Pirates Secure Semifinal Spot with 31-23 Victory Against U Mumba
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Pune, Dec 26 (NationPress) Ayan Lohchab tallied 10 points in the crucial Eliminator 2 encounter of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 11, with the Patna Pirates illustrating their championship caliber through a convincing 31-23 triumph against U Mumba at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex here on Thursday night.
By clinching the final available spot in the semifinals, the team was propelled by the outstanding performance of Lohchab, who netted eight raid points out of his total of 10, while Gurdeep achieved a High 5, effectively silencing the opposition throughout the match. This victory sets the stage for an exhilarating semifinal matchup against the in-form Dabang Delhi K.C.
An All Out executed on U Mumba approximately eight and a half minutes into the game provided the Patna Pirates with a strong lead as the three-time PKL Champions. Despite Devank Dalal being off the mat at the match's onset, Ayan Lohchab emerged as a key player. He received solid backing from his defenders, with Ajit Chouhan and Rohit Raghav being kept quiet during the first half of the match.
U Mumba increased their efforts in the latter part of the game in an attempt to level the score, but their efforts were futile. Ajit Chouhan was effectively contained by Gurdeep and Ankit, while Ayan continued to spearhead the Patna Pirates' offensive. A second All Out was inflicted on U Mumba, disrupting their momentum with just two minutes remaining in the first half. The halftime score read 17-11.
As the second half began, Ayan persisted with his aggressive play. Notably, Ayan also made a critical contribution with a well-timed Super Tackle that successfully pinned Ajit Chouhan to the mat. Although Amirmohammad Zafardanesh managed to earn a point for U Mumba with a swift hand touch on the left corner, the match remained tightly contested as they approached the second timeout.
In a vital do-or-die raid, Devank, despite his limited role throughout the match, demonstrated his skill by evading Rinku’s challenge against a three-man U Mumba defense. While substitute raider M Dhanasekar secured two points for U Mumba, the tactical decision of the Patna Pirates to run down the clock proved beneficial, leaving U Mumba struggling to gather points quickly enough to stage a comeback. As a result, the three-time champions confirmed their advancement to semi-final 2, where they will face Dabang Delhi K.C.
