The Haryana Steelers have officially secured their place in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) season 12 playoffs following a comprehensive 50-32 victory against the Gujarat Giants. The match, held at the Thyagaraj Stadium in Delhi, also saw the Jaipur Pink Panthers clinch their playoff spot as a consequence of this result.
The Steelers delivered a commanding performance, spearheaded by Shivam Patare and Vinay, who both achieved ‘Super 10s’. Shivam Patare’s 16 raid points marked a personal milestone, surpassing 400 career raid points in the PKL. The Gujarat Giants, despite a ‘Super 10’ from Himanshu Singh, were unable to counter Haryana’s sustained pressure.
Haryana started the game strong, with Vinay scoring the opening point and Jaideep contributing with a tackle. Gujarat fought back, with Himanshu Singh making an impact and Nitin Panwar securing a tackle. Rakesh Sungroya also added to the scoreboard, and a tackle from Lucky Sharma helped the Giants achieve an ‘All Out’, putting them back in contention.
The defending champions, however, quickly responded. Shivam Patare was instrumental in both raiding and defense, helping to level the score at 10-10. The team built on this momentum, with Hardeep and Shivam Patare performing well. A key tackle by Rahul led to another ‘All Out’ for Haryana, giving them a four-point lead. While Gujarat’s Mohammadreza Shadloui made some defensive plays, Haryana held a comfortable 21-15 lead by halftime.
The second half commenced with a slower tempo. Shivam Patare and Ankit Dahiya executed successful ‘Do-Or-Die Raids’. Shivam Patare then reached his ‘Super 10’, extending Haryana’s advantage to ten points. Ankit Dahiya’s ‘Super Raid’ narrowed the margin to seven with ten minutes remaining, keeping the Giants’ hopes alive. However, a decisive tackle from Neeraj, leading to another ‘All Out’ for Gujarat, proved to be the turning point. Vinay’s powerful four-point ‘Super Raid’ then put the game beyond doubt, making it 39-26. Vinay also completed his ‘Super 10’, a feat matched by Himanshu Singh for the Giants. Despite Himanshu’s efforts to bring the score closer at 40-30, Haryana Steelers maintained their dominance, finishing with a convincing 50-32 win and securing their playoff qualification.