Pirates look to plunder Steelers ship in PKL 11 final

Pirates look to plunder Steelers ship in PKL 11 final

After a gruelling 136 matches spanning two and a half months, the Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 culminates in a championship showdown. On Sunday, the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi will witness a clash of titans as the Haryana Steelers lock horns with the Patna Pirates.

This isn’t just any title clash; it’s a war between philosophies – Steelers’ defensive solidity against Pirates’ audacious, all-out attack. It’s also a battle of the favourite versus the underdog.

Last year’s runner-up, Steelers, aiming for its maiden title, entered the tournament as one of the favourites. And quite unsurprisingly, it stormed through the league stage, topped the standings and sealed its spot in the final with a hard-fought victory over UP Yoddhas in a semifinal clash.

The foundation of this Panchkula-based team lies in its indomitable defence. Led by Mohammadreza Chiyaneh Shadloui on the left corner and Rahul Sethpal on the right, the Steelers have erected the most impenetrable defensive barrier in the league. Captain Jaideep Dahiya and the stalwart Sanjay Dhull add further layers to this wall, creating an almost insurmountable obstacle for the opposition’s raiding units.

But the Manpreet Singh-coached side is more than just a defensive juggernaut, which has contributed to its progress to the final. The duo of Vinay and Shivam Patare has been in fine form and they have already accumulated 312 between themselves.

Shadloui has also added a new dimension to the Steelers’ raiding prowess. The towering Iranian has been the side’s preferred third raider, especially against defences of four or fewer.

“We gave 100 per cent to Kabaddi throughout the tournament, and it’s brought us success. Patna is a very good team but we won’t change our approach for the final,” stated Steelers skipper Jaideep in the post-match press conference following their victory against the Yoddhas in the semifinal.

On the other hand, Patna Pirates’ climb to its fifth PKL final has been a truly remarkable journey. At the beginning of the season, Narendar Redhu’s team wasn’t considered to even qualify for the playoffs. The team’s decision to put faith in largely an unproven raiding unit was questioned by pundits and fans alike.

However, over the last 23 matches, the three-time PKL champion has captivated audiences with its attacking brand of kabaddi. Devank Dalal, its leading raider, playing in his third PKL season, has taken the tournament by storm and is currently on the verge of accumulating 300 raid points for the season.

“Haryana has a solid team but we also have a very good squad. Shadloui, Rahul, and Jaideep are great defenders,” declared Devank ahead of the finale.

The team displayed remarkable resilience throughout the tournament. In addition to Devank, Ayan Lohchab has emerged as one of its standout raiders.

The Patna outfits’s defensive unit has also come to the party during the business end of the tournament. Skipper Ankit Jaglan has been in superb form and longside the experienced duo of Deepak Singh and Shubham Shinde, the side has struck a good balance.

“All the teams in playoffs are good and you have to be switched on from the first second in these games (knockouts). Both our raiders and defence need to have a good game against Haryana. We’ll try to play it just as any other match.” said Redhu after his team narrowly defeated Dabang Delhi in the semifinal.

With both teams aiming to play to their respective strengths, the PKL 11 final promises to be a battle of strategic brilliance and unwavering determination.