Best Defender of the Match – Dharmaraj Cheralathan (Patna Pirates)
Best Raider of the Match – Pardeep Narwal (Patna Pirates)
FULL TIME PATNA PIRATES 35 – 21 BENGAL WARRIORS
40’ Patna Pirates 35 - 21 Bengal Warriors - The last two minutes of the game look like a foregone conclusion as the tempo has slowed down and both teams waiting to see the clock down. Rajesh Mondal doing some acrobatics and puts the icing on the cake to get a touch point off a slow Nitin Madane. The game ends on a symbolic note as Kuldeep Singh gets a double tackle hold to give a thumping win to Patna.
38' Patna Pirates 33 – 20 Bengal Warriors – A third Super 10 for Pardeep Narwal, how good has he been for the Pirates. Nothing working out for the away team as they look to be heading towards another defeat in Pro Kabaddi Season 4. Play resumes after Timeout as Patna talk among themselves to see the game through. Pardeep attacks again for Patna and looking to get a point, he is tackled by Nilesh Shinde. Another tackle put in by the Patna defence takes the lead to 13.
35’ Patna Pirates 31 - 18 Bengal Warriors - What are we seeing here? Jan Kung Lee comes on court and proves to be a positive omen as Cheralthan is sent off the court by Bengal. But not a lot changes as Rajesh Mondal gets in a touch point. Super Tackle yet again by Patna Pirates after that as Atrachali shows his prowess. They are dealing in Super Tackles here tonight. A 12 point lead to Patna Pirates is extended as Atrachali gets hold of Goyat’s ankle.
32’ Patna Pirates 27 - 16 Bengal Warriors - Patna Pirates are giving chances to youngsters and they can afford that with the lead. Sunny comes on to attack in a do or die raid but is held by Ernak and Co. Super Tackle on for Patna as Ravi Dalal attacks and what happens? Right. Dharmaraj Cheralathan tackles down the ex Patna Pirate man. Is the Patna captain putting in the best defensive performance of the tournament?
30’ Patna Pirates 25 - 15 Bengal Warriors - Abul Fazal comes on for a do or die raid and he straight away is looking busy but goes too deep and gets tackled by Mane. Super Tackle on for Patna and they get it. What a night their captain is having? Is he actually over 40? I doubt that. What a superb hold on the knee!!!
28’ Patna Pirates 23 - 14 Bengal Warriors - Patna are looking quite relaxed here as the dugout is witness to a lot of smiles and chatter. Patna are leading with just 8 minutes to go in the second half. Can Bengal fight back? Stay tuned to know!!!
26’ Patna Pirates 23 - 14 Bengal Warriors - Cheralathan controls proceedings to get a Super Tackle and give his team an eight point lead. Are Patna running away with the game here ? Certainly looks like that. Bengal simply do not have the killer instinct or any sort of hold over the game. Nitin Madane tries to get something for Bengal but does not get anything. Pareep Narwal gets excited with the Super 10 on and is held by Girish Ernak. Tackle point to Bengal but Patna follow with another SUPER TACKLE!!
23' Patna Pirates 19 – 13 Bengal Warriors - Both teams start the second half with empty raids and Ravi Dalal comes on with the chance of a Super Tackle on. Rajesh Mondal attacks with the bonus on for the home team but to no avail. A do or die raid and Super Tackle on but Monu Goyat gets the better of Mondal to get the points tally ticking in the second half. Pardeep Narwal attacks and with a superb back kick, gets a point in a do or die raid
We are underway here with the second half!!!!!
HALF TIME – Patna Pirates 17 - 12 Bengal Warriors - A beautiful turn and surge by Pardeep Narwal gives two points to the home team extends their lead and they go into the half with a healthy score of 17 while their opponents are reeling on 12.
19’ Patna Pirates 15 – 11 Bengal Warriors A rockstar like entry by Abul Fazal, who straight away gets two points. What a guy!!! Pardeep Narwal attacks again but remains cautious to not do anything stupid. Ravi Dalal tries to get something with just three minutes to go but returns empty handed. Patna are clearly trying to protect their lead and that seems to be the right thing to do.
15’ Patna Pirates 13 - 9 Bengal Warriors – Rajesh Mondal is tackled by Vishal Mane, low on the knee, to keep Bengal on the heels of Patna. Still a four point lead here though. Patna are looking quite comfortable here and in the zone. There does not seem to be any issue or panic from their side. They look in control
12‘ Patna Pirates 12 – 6 Bengal Warriors – Stunning here from Pardeep Narwal as he powers through to the touch line and build up a three point lead for his team. He comes on again to get one more touch point off Nitin Madane. Bengal Warriors not happy with the decision and they review, which is unsuccessful. Last man Ravi Dalal atacks for Bengal but he cant do anything as Cheralathan effects his first tackle. ALL OUT!!!
9’ Patna Pirates 5 - 4 Bengal Warriors – Pardeep is tackled by Vishal Mane to help his team draw level. Bengal are reamining in the hunt here. Rajesh Mondal comes on and tries to get a running touch off Nilesh but the Bengal captain is alert. Ravi Dalal attacks but the Patna defence does not let him in. Patna captain Cheralathan raids but returns empty handed. Monu Goyat’s do or die raid results in the first tackle point for Patna, courtesy Bajirao Hodage.
6’ Patna Pirates 4 – 2 Bengal Warriors – Bengal pull one point back and that is followed by Pardeep's empty raid, during which he injures himself slightly. Nothing to worry about though. Nitin Madane tries to steal the bonus but gets nothing as Rajesh Mondal comes on for a do or die raid and gets it. This is what he does, day in day out.
3’ Patna Pirates 3 - 1 Bengal Warriors – Rajesh Mondal, the nimble footed raider, begins proceedings and returns empty handed. Monu Goyat comes on for Bengal Warriors and looks for the bonus. A huge roar as Pardeep Narwal comes on and shows why he is the superstar by getting a touch point to set his team off for the night. An empty raid by Bengal is followed by another touch point by Pardeep, who removes Vishal Mane off court.
Catch the live commentary of this game in Hindi here
Patna Pirates start with Pardeep Narwal, Rajesh Mondal, Dharmaraj Cheralathan, Kuldeep and Fazal while Bengal pose a line-up featuring Girish Ernak, Nilesh Shinde, Monu Goyat and Nitin Madane. We are ready to go!!!!
U Mumba have just completed an astonishing victory over Bengaluru Bulls in a pulsating game that went down to the last minute. It was Anup Kumar, the U Mumba captain, who led from the front to take his team from a losing position to a much needed win. Bengal would need something similar here but the kind of form Patna are in, it would take a lot out of the away.
Good evening and welcome back to the maddening world of Kabaddi here in Bihar as Bengal Warriors fight to save their sinking ship against the Patna Pirates here at Pataliputra Sports Complex in Patna. The second match of the double header will see two different teams playing with digressing intentions. For Patna, it’s all about continuing their domination in the league and try to stretch their unbeaten run while for the other, it is a battle for survival.
The contrasting tales of the two teams is told by the points table at once. Patna Pirates have looked the best team in the tournament and are invincible till now. They have 20 points from 4 matches. That’s as many points as the table toppers Jaipur Pink Panthers and Puneri Paltan have, but in two matches less. This means that the team will be eyeing today’s match to perch to the top of league standings. Bengal Warriors have hit a streak of defeats and sit at the eighth position.
Patna Pirates are an interesting lot when they play in front of their home crowds as they have lost just 3 out of 13 games there, but have won only 6. So, the team has played out 4 ties on their home turf. Clearly, the team believes in giving its crowd exciting action.
Thankfully, they enjoy a far superior record when it comes to head to head with Bengal Warriors who have trumped the Pirates only once in their 6 efforts, going down fighting 4 times. Bengal will be wary of Pardeep Narwal who leads the table of most successful raids per match with an average of 8.67 and has wrecked best of the defences of the league.
For Bengal, nothing has gone right after their win against Dabang Delhi in the second match and in the absence of star raider Jang Kun Lee, the team has hurtled from one humiliating defeat to another. But the team would be fresh after a three day break and hoping to get out of the quagmire they’re slipping fast into. The team will be banking on seniors like Ravi Dalal and Nilesh Shinde to step up. If Bengal can’t produce a win today, it could very well mean curtains on their dreams of reaching the top 4, which they managed to do last season.
Key talking points
Patna Pirates
Their defenders Dharmaraj Cheralathan and Fazel Atrachali will hold the key for them tonight. Since, Bengal's main raider, Nitin Madane, plays on the right, their captain Cheralathan will have to step up and lead from the front.
Bengal Warriors
Bengal Warriors is more of a defense-orientated team, but their defenders Nilesh Shinde and Girish Ernak looked rusty in the last match against Telugu Titans. And tonight they will have to face even more challenging task to stop Pardeep Narwal and Rajesh Mondal. They should go for combine tackles against them with more coordination.
