Bengaluru, Feb 2 (IANS): Patna Pirates defeated UP Yoddha 37-35 in the Vivo Pro Kabaddi League Season 8 match, here on Wednesday. Pirates' Sachin got a Super 10 (12 points) and was aptly supported by left corner defender Mohammadreza Shadloui who secured a High 5.
The three-time champions started the match brightly but lost their way in the middle to give Yoddha an opportunity. Surender Gill scored a Super 10 for UP Yoddha, but Patna Pirates defenders dominated the final 10 minutes of the match to ensure they clinched an important win in the race for a playoff spot.
UP Yoddha suffered their fourth consecutive loss and will need to find a solution soon to prevent the rot. UP Yoddha opted for a cautious approach in the first half. They benched Pardeep Narwal and took to the mat with just Surender Gill and Shrikant Jadhav as the lead raiders.
They took an early lead but Pirates, who also benched their experienced star Monu Goyat, clawed their back. Their raider Sachin had a good start to match, and it was his 2-point raid in the 11th minute that paved way for an ALL OUT. That helped Patna Pirates open a 5-point lead, but Yoddha's Surender Gill ensured the three-time champions didn't run away with the game. The scores were 20-15 at the interval but the momentum was slowly turning towards UP
UP Yoddha started the second half with a 2-point raid by Surender Gill. That helped the team clinch an early ALL OUT and level scores at 21-21. The momentum clearly shifted and U.P. used that to open a narrow lead. Surender Gill got his Super 10 in the 8th minute after the interval, but Patna stayed within touching distance through Sachin's raids. They levelled the score with 7 minutes on the clock.
Sachin got his Super 10 as Patna Pirates clinched an ALL OUT with 3 minutes remaining. That gave them a 4-point lead but Pardeep Narwal, who entered as a substitute, gave UP Yoddha a 2-point raid.
But Iranian left corner Mohammadreza Shadloui produced two consecutive tackles in a pressure situation to give Pirates some breathing space in the dying minutes. The Pirates clung to the lead to ensure they walked away with all 5 points.