The Haryana Steelers have officially punched their ticket to the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) season 12 playoffs, showcasing a dominant performance with a 50-32 victory over the Gujarat Giants. This crucial win, held at Delhi’s Thyagaraj Stadium, not only solidifies the Steelers’ postseason aspirations but also confirms a playoff spot for the Jaipur Pink Panthers.
Leading the charge for Haryana were Shivam Patare and Vinay, both achieving impressive ‘Super 10s’ (scoring 10 or more raid points). Shivam Patare’s stellar outing included 16 raid points, pushing his career total past the 400-point mark in the PKL. While the Gujarat Giants fought valiantly, with Himanshu Singh also recording a ‘Super 10’, their efforts ultimately fell short.
The Steelers established an early lead, with Vinay scoring the first point and Jaideep making a strong defensive play. Despite Gujarat’s attempts to counter, including effective raids from Himanshu Singh and Nitin Panwar, and a tackle from Lucky Sharma, the Giants managed an ‘All Out’ to regain momentum.
However, Haryana quickly erased the deficit. Shivam Patare proved instrumental, contributing significantly in both offense and defense, leading to a 10-10 tie. The momentum carried into the next phase, with Hardeep and Shivam Patare maintaining the pressure. A crucial tackle by Rahul led to another ‘All Out’ for Haryana, establishing a four-point advantage. While Gujarat’s Mohammadreza Shadloui made some impactful tackles, Haryana maintained a comfortable 21-15 lead at halftime.
The second half saw a slower pace initially, with exchanges in tackles between Sahil Narwal and Lucky Sharma. Shivam Patare and Ankit Dahiya executed successful ‘Do-Or-Die Raids’. Shivam Patare then reached his ‘Super 10’, extending Haryana’s lead to ten points. Although Ankit Dahiya’s ‘Super Raid’ narrowed the gap to seven points with ten minutes remaining, a decisive tackle from Neeraj and another ‘All Out’ sealed the Giants’ fate. Vinay’s four-point ‘Super Raid’ further cemented the victory, bringing the score to 39-26. Vinay also completed his ‘Super 10’, mirroring Himanshu Singh’s achievement for the Giants. Despite Himanshu’s late efforts to close the scoreline to 40-30, Haryana Steelers maintained control, securing a decisive 50-32 win and confirming their playoff qualification.
