New Delhi: Haryana Steelers delivered a dominant display to register the biggest win margin of PKL 12, decimating UP Yoddhas 53-26 at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium in Delhi on Thursday.
The 27-point win also helped them climb to fifth place on the points table.
Jaideep Dahiya led the way with a high five, and Shivam Patare also made his mark with a super 10. Substitute Ghanshyam Magar also made his presence felt with eight raid points, while Neeraj secured four tackle points.
The defending champions flew off the blocks with a rollicking start. Vinay got the ball rolling with his 100th raid point of the season, while Sahil Narwal set the tone in defence with a tackle. Gagan Gowda and Guman Singh got themselves on the board for the Yoddhas early on, but it was about the Haryana Steelers’ aggression and execution in the first ten minutes.
Shivam Patare also proved to be a menace for the Yoddhas, with Sahil Narwal ensuring that their defence didn’t let their guard down. Rahul Sethpal made that early pressure count, executing a brilliant tackle to inflict the first all out of the game, giving his side a 12-5 lead.
Haryana Steelers continued to dominate proceedings with Shivam Patare completing his Super 10, scoring 11 points in 10 raids. Keshav Kumar showed a bit of resolve for UP Yoddhas – first with a do-or-die raid and then following that up with a Super Tackle. However, he didn’t have enough support as his side conceded a second all out, giving the Haryana Steelers a commanding 26-12 lead at half time.
It was an encouraging start to the second half by UP Yoddhas with Gagan Gowda finding his rhythm on the offensive end. Guman Singh and Hitesh chipped in, and they managed to cut the deficit down to ten points with around thirteen minutes to play in the game.
With a couple of tackles from Ashu Singh and Hitesh, and contributions from Bhavani Rajput, UP Yoddhas kept chipping away. However, a Super Tackle from Sahil Narwal helped the Steelers retain their double-digit lead with the score at 32-21, heading into the final quarter.
The Steelers soon shut the door for any possibility of a comeback though. Shivam Patare got Haryana Steelers’ first raid points in the second half after eleven minutes, and Jaideep also completed his High Five, registering a third all out on the opposition to give his side a massive 40-22 lead.
Towards the dying embers, Ghanshyam Magar further piled on the misery on the Yoddhas. Tackles from Neeraj and Jaideep helped the defending champions execute a fourth all out, putting the finishing touches on the game. They scored 21 points in the final quarter of the game, securing a comprehensive 53-26 win.
(IANS)
