Gujarat Giants Vs Patna Pirates 07 December 2023

Full-Time
Gujarat Giants 30 - 33 Patna Pirates

Phew! A fitting end to what has been a tremendous Ahmedabad leg in PKL 10. The hosts came into this game on a hat-trick of wins, and upp to half-time the game was cagey and level.

However, both teams took off in the second half, albeit at different points. The Pirates were unstoppable in the first 10-12 minutes of the second half, registering two all-outs in quick succession to pretty much take the game out of the Giants' hands. However, Rakesh HS refused to give up and powered his side back into the match with a Super 10.

With one minute on the clock, a 2-point deficit and only three men on the mat for the Pirates, the Giants still had a chance, but Sudhakar saved the day with a crucial Super Tackle, getting the Pirates their second win in as many games, and one that they will enjoy.

Rakesh was the best raider of the match, with Patna splitting their raiding responsibilities between four raiders including substitute Sandeep Kumar and Sudhakar, with Sachin having an ordinary outing. However, their defense was on point with their tackling, with both Ankit and Neeraj Kumar finishing with four tackle points.

Sombir's High 5 and Sourav Gulia's 4-pointer weren't enough to save the Giants as a lax first ten minutes after half-time saw their winning run getting snapped. Nevertheless, they're still at the top of the table for now, and will want to pick themselves up on and move on as the PKL 10 action shifts to Bangalore from tomorrow.

Two exciting clashes await us in the home ground of the Bengaluru Bulls. Until then, this is Shreyas signing off. Good Night!

2nd Half, 40'
Gujarat Giants 30 - 33 Patna Pirates

Nitin gets a quick point, but it isn't enough for the home side, and the Patna Pirates end the Giants' unbeaten run.

2nd Half, 40'
Gujarat Giants 29 - 33 Patna Pirates

Another point for Rakesh HS. He is flying on the mat. Gets the running hand touch on Krishan Dhull, and the deficit is down to two. 

A Do-or-die raid for the Pirates, and Sandeep Kumar gets a crucial bonus point before he is tackled.

Ohh, Sudhakar comes in clutch with a Super Tackle for the Pirates. A big moment in the match, and that should wrap up the win for the Pirates.

2nd Half, 38'
Gujarat Giants 27 - 30 Patna Pirates

Ankit goes in with a solo tackle on Rakesh, and could well have had a tackle point had the defense supported him in time. Patna content to put in 27-28 second empty raids. 

Super 10 for Rakesh. He gets a bonus+point raid, and the Pirates are losing their composure at the worst possible time.

2nd Half, 37'
Gujarat Giants 24 - 30 Patna Pirates

High 5 for Sombir, and an all-out for the Gujarat Giants! What a response from them! 

The momentum firmly with the Giants, and Patna need to figure out a way to keep Rakesh HS quiet. Patna needs to kill time in their raids, and can't afford to concede any bonus points either.

2nd Half, 36'
Gujarat Giants 20 - 30 Patna Pirates

Sombir has been superb for the Giants today. He gets his 4th tackle point of the night to send Sachin Tanwar packing. And, with the Pirates reduced to three, Rakesh continues his point-scoring spree and gets Neeraj Kumar. All of a sudden, Patna is down to two, and are staring at an all-out.

Patna bring Sudhakar on, and he does well to get a bonus point. Still a big lead for the Pirates.

2nd Half, 34'
Gujarat Giants 18 - 29 Patna Pirates

Krishan continues attempting advance tackles here, but this time, he's not completely at fault as his partner let goes of the chain, allowing Rakesh HS to escape with his dubki. Patna are content to just run the clock down and make Gujarat work for their points, but guess what, they seem to be up for it.

Rakesh turns up the heat with a burst of pace to get Sandeep Kumar.

2nd Half, 32'
Gujarat Giants 16 - 29 Patna Pirates

Sombir moves to the cover position from the right corner, and he does well to dash Manjeet off court. Manjeet started the game well, but his impact has slowly waned.

2nd Half, 31'
Gujarat Giants 15 - 29 Patna Pirates

Second all-out for the Pirates. Krishan Dhull makes no mistake as Rohit Gulia can only manage a bonus point. 

Time for the 2nd Strategic Timeout, but Gujarat is in big trouble here. Down to only one man and staring at an all-out, they need something special to save themselves from this mess.

Since half-time, Gujarat have scored only two points, while the Pirates have scored 14. They have a little under ten minutes to rescue this match. What does coach Ram Mehar Singh have in his sleeve?

Gujarat review this decision, and it is a big one, because the Pirates could get a 2nd all-out here, and it is unsuccessful! 

2nd Half, 30'
Gujarat Giants 14 - 26 Patna Pirates

The Pirates are pulling clear here. Sandeep Kumar puts in a two-point raid to take out Sombir and Rakesh HS before Ankit gets his 4th tackle point of the match.

In the final raid before the timeout, Sachin is up against Fazel Atrachali and Sourav Gulia and with Gujarat staring at an all-out, the two defenders do extremely well to keep the powerful Sachin from struggling and wriggling his way to the mid-line. However, Sourav Gulia receives a yellow card for 'jersey pulling' and the point is awarded to the Pirates.

Sonu Jaglan is substituted off, but his replacement Nitin does well to pick up a point.

2nd Half, 28'
Gujarat Giants 13 - 22 Patna Pirates

Ankit Jaglan could become the Best defender this season. He has a real eye for the tackle, and he's showing it time and again for the Pirates. Completely surprises Parteek Dahiya with an audacious back hold, and the Giants can't catch a break.

Ohh, Sachin Tanwar extends Gujarat's misery with another point in a Do-or-Die raid.

2nd Half, 27'
Gujarat Giants 13 - 20 Patna Pirates

The one positive for Gujarat is that Fazel is back on court, but the Pirates have been the better side in the second half. Rakesh is taken down by a dash from Neeraj Kumar, who has had an impeccable game so far. Sonu Jaglan has also had a very quiet game, with just the one point so far.

2nd Half, 25'
Gujarat Giants 12 - 19 Patna Pirates

Sonu Jaglan claims a running hand touch on Krishan before stumbling into the lobby, but he didn't get any rule the referees, and that reduces Gujarat to only two men.

Sachin Tanwar then takes his time, but is assured and calm and wipes out the defense to give the Pirates their first all-out of the match!

2nd Half, 22'
Gujarat Giants 12 - 14 Patna Pirates

Sandeep Kumar has done well since coming on, and he gets Arkam Shaikh in the left corner. As to why he's in the left corner, that's because Fazel has been off court for more than ten minutes. Meanwhile, Rakesh is hauled off the mat at the other end, with the right cover responding well to an attempted ankle hold from the left corner.

Half-Time
Gujarat Giants 12 - 12 Patna Pirates

Defenses firmly on top in this cagey game, as the teams go into the break level. The Pirates led for most of the half, with Sudhakar a bright spark in the raiding department for them, but it was their defense that shone, with Ankit and Neeraj Kumar picking up two tackle points apiece to keep the Gujarat raiders quiet.
Sourav Gulia impressed for the Giants, with three tackle points to his name, but it was a self-out from Sudhakar brought the Giants back into the game, and they haven't let go since. With Sonu also subbed on, this second half should be an exciting affair.

1st Half, 20'
Gujarat Giants 12 - 12 Patna Pirates

A couple of empty raids bring to an end a disciplined, and quality game of kabaddi with nothing to separate the two teams at half-time.

1st Half, 19'
Gujarat Giants 12 - 12 Patna Pirates

Sonu is up against a disciplined Pirates defense in a Do-or-Die raid, but with mere seconds to go, he does extremely well to get a faint touch with a kick on Ankit in the left corner. In the other end, Sourav Gulia dashes Manjeet off court, but the momentum appears to have taken him past the margins himself. 

The Giants review the decision, however, and the decision is overturned. Great review! All square once more.

1st Half, 18'
Gujarat Giants 10 - 12 Patna Pirates

Sandeep Kumar was brought on for the Do-or-die raid, and he claims a toe touch early in the raid on none other than Fazel, and is so confident that he doesn't even go back. However, Fazel maintains that there was no touch. After initially ruling it in the favor of the Giants, the officials are forced to reverse the decision as the Pirates successfully review.

And the crowd roar as Ram Mehar Singh says enough is enough and brings Sonu on. What can the super-sub do? The Pirates respond with a substitution of their own, and Sandeep Kumar comes on in place of Krishan.

1st Half, 16'
Gujarat Giants 10 - 11 Patna Pirates

The Pirates' defense has been mighty impressive today, and Neeraj Kumar comes in with a meaty block to get rid of Parteek Dahiya.

1st Half, 14'
Gujarat Giants 10 - 10 Patna Pirates

Both teams are content to put in empty raids here, as the Giants have five men on the mat and the Pirates have four, and with no bonus available, they're playing on the Do-or-Die raid. Rakesh is sent in and Ankit comes in with a powerful dash to put the Pirates back in the lead. 

The league's best Do-or-die raider Sachin Tanwar is undone by a patient Giants defense who simply delay making any challenge and let the clock run out before Sourav Gulia goes in with a well-timed ankle hold.

1st Half, 12'
Gujarat Giants 9 - 9 Patna Pirates

Another advance tackle from Krishan, and Rakesh is too smart for him, uses his lower body to swivel around and swing his feet past the mid-line. Sombir then puts in a meaty block to stop Manjeet right in his tracks, and just like that the Giants are level and have the wind behind their sails.

1st Half, 10'
Gujarat Giants 7 - 9 Patna Pirates

Take a bow Sudhakar M! The Pirates may have unearthed a gem here. He puts in the most aesthetic of dubkis to escape from a chain tackle. 

Ohh, but he gets a bit too caught up in the excitement, and with only two on the mat for the Giants, he steps into the lobby, conceding a Super Tackle to the opponent.

We enter our first timeout of the match, and it's the Pirates who hold a deserved 2-point lead, but it could've been much more. Can Gujarat regroup and hit back post this break?

1st Half, 8'
Gujarat Giants 4 - 8 Patna Pirates

Krishan Dhull has had a busy start to the match. He's very quick in covering the angle along with Sudhakar, and the chain tackle accounts for Parteek Dahiya. Manjeet then corners Fazel, uses his reach to get a hefty touch on the Iranian. Fazel hesitated to go for the challenge, and suddenly the Giants have three on the mat. 

They have been the Super Tackle experts this season, the Giants. Can they keep that run going? 

1st Half, 6'
Gujarat Giants 3 - 6 Patna Pirates

Parteek Dahiya, the side's best raider last season opens his account with a running hand touch on Krishan. That should get him going. Manjeet opens his account as well, as Sourav Gulia comes in with a mistimed advanced challenge with the lanky raider anticipates and escapes.

1st Half, 4'
Gujarat Giants 2 - 4 Patna Pirates

What a challenge that is from Ankit Jaglan, he looks to be a stellar signing for the Pirates. Puts in a well-timed double thigh hold to get rid of Rohit Gulia. At the other end, Sachin Tanwar goes so close to the mid-line and a Super Raid, but Fazel comes clutch and is just in time to pull him back.

1st Half, 2'
Gujarat Giants 1 - 3 Patna Pirates

Sachin Tanwar starts off with bonus point, incidentally his first of the season. Rohit Gulia, the former Pirates man teases the right corner Krishan into making an ankle hold and opens the Giants' account. However, the tall Sudhakar M anticipates the challenge from Arkam Shaikh to escape with a point. The right chain then gets the better of Rakesh HS, and it's the Pirates with the early momentum.

We're all set for one last Panga here in Ahmedabad. Sachin Tanwar to raid first for the Pirates.

Both these sides have quite a bit of history between them. Take a look at the Head-to-head stats and records between the Pirates and the Giants:

It's always tough to set your Dream11 teams when there are so many in-form players taking to the mat. Worry not and take a look at Sportskeeda's Dream11 Preview for this match:

Team News

Here are the starting lineups of the two teams.

Gujarat Giants: Fazel Atrachali (C), Arkam Shaikh, Rohit Gulia, Pardeep Dahiya, Rakesh HS, Sourav Gulia, and Sombir.

Patna Pirates: Neeraj Kumar (C), Ankit Jaglan, Sajin C, Krishan, Sachin Tanwar, Sudhakar M, and Manjeet.

One change for the Patna Pirates who're bringing in Sudhakar M as their third raider in place of Sachin Narwal. 

However, it's the Giants' lineup that deserves monitoring, with Mohammad Nabibakhsh dropping to the bench as Parteek Dahiya, their highest point-scorer from last season coming back to the starting 7. He hardly played a part in their first three matches, but here he is starting the game. 

Notably, Sonu, arguably the Player of the Season so far, still remains on the bench, but you'd expect him to play some part in the match.

Hello and welcome to Sportskeeda's coverage of Pro Kabaddi 2023. After ten enthralling contests to start the tenth edition, we reach the end of the Ahmedabad leg, but not before the Gujarat Giants take to the mat one more time in front of their home fans. 

The Gujarat Giants take on the Patna Pirates in the final match of the Ahmedabad leg of PKL 10 at The Arena by TransStadia. It's a hat-trick of wins for the hosts, and they'll be keen to make it four and preserve their perfect start to the season. However, it's easier said than done against an opponent like the Patna Pirates. The three-time champions issued a statement win against the Telugu Titans yesterday night, beating them by 22 points, and they'll have plenty of momentum coming into this game.

The Gujarat coach Ram Mehar Singh was the one who guided Patna to their three PKL titles, and he'd love to get a win against his former side. These two teams have played some really memorable contests, including the PKL Season 5 Final. Given their current form right now, we can expect an electric clash to close out the opening leg of this season.