Patna Pirates defeated Dabang Delhi K.C. 33-30 thanks to an incredible fourth quarter at the SMS Indoor Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday. With his 12 raid points, substitute Ankit Rana spearheaded the spectacular comeback victory, snapping the winning streak of the Season 8 champions.
Neeraj Narwal and Ajinkya Pawar gave Dabang Delhi K.C. a calm appearance during the first ten minutes of play. Dabang Delhi had an early lead thanks to Pawar’s Do-Or-Die victory and Neeraj’s astute raids. They tightened the screws on the Pirates’ raiders, supported by Saurabh Nandal and Fazel Atrachali’s defensive presence.
However, with timely contributions, the Pirates continued to chip away at their opponents’ heels. In order to keep the scoreboard moving, Ayan and Sudhakar contributed raid points. The defensive resistance offered by Navdeep and Ankit’s tackles prevented the gap from growing. However, Dabang Delhi had a comfortable 4-point lead at the 10-minute mark and were well in control.
Neeraj Narwal continued to set the pace as Dabang Delhi K.C. strengthened their hold in the second quarter. By halftime, the raider had scored six points and was continuously posing a threat to the Pirates’ defense. Ashu Malik and Ajinkya contributed, and Surjeet Singh added vital points to the defense.
The Pirates made an effort to keep afloat, but Delhi’s teamwork was too powerful. The Pirates were momentarily buoyed by Ankit’s Super Tackle, but it wasn’t enough to stop them. Just before halftime, Dabang Delhi’s pressure paid off with a spectacular ALL OUT, solidifying their dominance in the match. Delhi maintained the momentum into the second half after leading 19–10 at the interval.
In the third quarter, the three-time champions put up a fierce fightback, eroding Dabang Delhi’s lead. Ayan spearheaded the offensive and used well-timed raids to keep the defense under strain. Ankit Rana, a replacement who scored a ton of points against Dabang Delhi’s sturdy defenders, provided him with a lot of help.
Ankit Jaglan, the captain, stood tall in defense and made vital tackles to break the opposition’s flow at critical times. His work, together with Navdeep’s assistance, provided the Pirates with the support they required to remain competitive. Even though Neeraj and Ajinkya continued to keep their team moving forward, the Pirates’ comeback was evident.
The Pirates reserved their best for the last quarter, when they pulled off a spectacular comeback to defeat Dabang Delhi K.C. The match was totally changed by the two Ankits, captain Ankit Jaglan in defence and Ankit Rana in attack.
In addition to Rana’s barrage of raid points, which included a game-ending ALL OUT, Jaglan’s clutch tackles disrupted Dabang Delhi’s flow. The Pirates, who had been behind, suddenly found themselves in a strong position.
Despite Neeraj and Ashu’s best efforts, Dabang Delhi was unable to match Patna’s intensity in the closing moments. The Pirates ended the Dabang Delhi’s winning streak with a dramatic 33-30 victory after scoring an incredible 16 points in the last ten minutes, compared to just five from their opponents.
