The Haryana Steelers and Tamil Thalaivas faced off in a thrilling match that ended with the Steelers maintaining composure to win 38–36 at the SMS Indoor Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday.
Beyond the final score, the evening was particularly significant because Steelers head coach Manpreet Singh achieved a historic first: he became the first PKL coach to record 100 victories.
The mood for an exciting evening was established in the first few minutes. Arjun Deshwal’s early strike gave the Thalaivas the first blood, but Ronak and Himanshu’s well-organized defense held the Steelers’ raiders at bay. Arjun’s quick ALL OUT put the Thalaivas in command, and his violent raids kept revealing defensive weaknesses.
However, the Steelers started to retaliate. After a rocky start, Vinay settled into a groove, scoring goals on consecutive raids to keep the Steelers within striking distance. Moein Shafaghi and Rohit Beniwal’s threat was eliminated by Jaideep’s timely tackles. The Thalaivas’ mistakes were exploited by the Steelers.
When the Steelers answered with their own All Out in the middle of the half, the momentum changed. While Jaideep aggressively rallied the defensive line, Vinay and Shivam Patare worked together to make successful raids. In rapid succession, both sides exchanged blows, tightening the scoreline.
Arjun’s steady point-scoring in the last minutes of the half kept Haryana in trouble, but Vinay’s raids made sure the Steelers were still in the game going into halftime. The score was 25-16 in favor of the Steelers before halftime.
Both of the raiding units were on fire as the second half sprang into action. Deshwal continued where he left off, eliminating defenders whenever he pleased and, at one point, dismissing Sahil Narwal and Jaideep in consecutive raids. In Do-Or-Die moments, Himanshu’s defensive tenacity also cost Haryana important points.
The Steelers, however, resisted being defeated. Mayank Saini, a substitute, had an instant effect and changed the game with multi-point raids. The Steelers were lifted and their bench was given new life when he scalped Nitesh Kumar after dismissing Ronak and Anuj Gawade in a single raid. He was supplemented by Shivam Patare, who kept the Thalaivas in check with cunning raids.
After that, the game went into a tense defensive phase in which both teams traded fruitless raids and unsuccessful Do-Or-Die attempts. The backline of the reigning champs held firm, and the Thalaivas’ Arulnanthababu kept their team in the game with an incredible Super Tackle. The game was hanging in the balance with fewer than five minutes remaining.
Haryana displayed the poise that has come to characterize Manpreet Singh’s sides in the closing exchanges. Hardeep’s late tackle on Arjun made sure the Thalaivas couldn’t finish a comeback, while Vinay, who had been contained earlier, provided a pivotal raid that shifted the tide. The Steelers ended the final few forays with discipline, winning 38-36 in what will be remembered as Manpreet Singh’s brief stint in PKL history.
