Haryana Steelers vs Gujarat Giants: 40-37 Win For HS In PKL

In a thrilling Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 encounter, the Haryana Steelers vs Gujarat Giants match concluded with the Steelers narrowly crossing their opponents 40-37 at the SMS Indoor Stadium, Jaipur, on Monday. Haryana Captain Jaideep Dahiya’s High Five, along with impressive shows from Shivam Patare and Vinay, came to the rescue as Haryana pocketed their second consecutive win of the season.

Early Exchanges: Rakesh and Vinay Shine

The game began with an aggressive pace as both sides took the attack. Rakesh Sungroya was in full form at the beginning, picking up five raid points in the first six minutes of the match, creating a small gap for Gujarat. Meanwhile, Vinay answered Haryana by scoring the team’s first four points to keep it close.

The initial advantage changed hands several times. Shubham Kumar’s tackle of Shivam Patare provided Gujarat a narrow lead, but Haryana came back with a Super Tackle by Sahil Narwal, reducing the score to 7-6.

Super Tackles Turn the Tide for Haryana

In a defensive brilliance-dominated match, the Haryana Steelers posted five Super Tackles, which ultimately sealed the fate of the game. Jaideep Dahiya and Shivam Patare scored consecutive Super Tackles, turning the tide in Haryana’s favor.

But Gujarat did not allow the gap to become too wide. Lucky Sharma hit back with a timely tackle, and soon Himanshu Singh and Rakesh worked well together to tie the scores 14-14. A Jaideep Dahiya tackle gave the Giants an ALL OUT, momentarily handing them an upper hand in the match.

Steelers Fight Back Before Halftime

After the loss, Haryana Steelers showed a comeback. Shivam Patare, in one of his best all-round performances, spearheaded the comeback with a series of raids that worked for them. Haryana turned the tide in their favor by causing an ALL OUT to the Giants and taking a strong 25-20 lead into the half-time break.

Second Half: Rakesh’s Super 10 Keeps Giants in Contention

Rakesh Sungroya sustained his excellent performance in the second half, finishing his Super 10 in a mere 12 raid attempts. Nitin Panwar and Mohammadreza Shadloui contributed to Gujarat’s defense, narrowing the scores to fighting distance at 33-33.

Haryana’s defense, however, spearheaded by Rahul Ahri, Jaideep Dahiya, and Sahil Narwal, was impenetrable. Jaideep finished his High Five, proving his leadership at the critical moment.

Final Minutes: Haryana Steelers Hold Nerve

At the dying stages, Gujarat Giants tried to stage a comeback. Shridhar Kadam’s multi-point raid provided a glimmer of hope, cutting the deficit to two points. But the defending champions, in line with their reputation, remained unfazed.

Vinay, who scored eight raid points, sealed the victory, as Haryana won a nail-biting 40-37 affair arguably one of the most competitively contested PKL Season 12 games thus far.