In a thrilling match at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium on Tuesday night, the Telugu Titans delivered an impressive performance against the Patna Pirates, ending their winning streak with a score of 46-39 in Eliminator 3. This victory propelled the Titans into a crucial Qualifier 2 clash against Puneri Paltan, who are the season 10 champions.

Bharat Hooda stood out for the Titans, contributing a remarkable 23 points to the game. His leadership and skill were evident as he steadily guided his team towards victory. Meanwhile, the Patna Pirates weren’t without their stars. Young raider Ayan Lohchab once again showcased his talent, making history as the first player in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) to score over 20 points in six games of a single season. Ending the season with 316 raid points, Ayan had improved significantly, scoring 132 points more than his previous tally of 184 in PKL 11. His contributions were pivotal in helping the Pirates secure their eight-match winning streak leading up to this eliminator.

From the beginning, the match was intense, with both teams exchanging points in quick succession. Ayan Lohchab faced a tough challenge when he was tackled during his very first raid. Similarly, Vijay Malik experienced the same fate moments later. However, Ayan quickly bounced back, leading the Pirates to take control of the game. He initiated a two-point raid by successfully touching down on Ankit and Praful Zaware, further adding to his impressive performance by claiming another touch off Shubham Shinde.

Just six minutes into the match, Navdeep made a crucial tackle on Titans captain Vijay, resulting in the first ALL OUT. This gave the Pirates an early advantage. Bharat Hooda, not one to back down, responded fiercely with a two-point raid of his own, scoring against Balaji D and Deepak. After a series of unsuccessful raids, Ankit Rana managed to secure a touch point, extending the Pirates’ lead to 13-9 at the end of the first quarter.

In a remarkable display, Ayan became only the fifth player in PKL history to achieve 300 raid points in a season, a milestone reached with a successful raid on Ajit Pawar. His performance matched that of legends like Pardeep Narwal and Pawan Sehrawat, emphasizing the strength of the Pirates. Yet, the Titans remained undeterred. Shubham executed a tackle on Ayan, while Chetan Sahu reduced the point deficit, allowing the Titans to reclaim the lead with the score at 22-20 by halftime.

After the break, the Titans began to extend their lead further. Bharat continued to impress; he scored again by successfully raiding Ankit and soon after completed his Super 10, further boosting his team’s confidence. A second ALL OUT inflicted on the Pirates widened the gap to ten points, signaling that the Titans were beginning to grasp control of the match.

Despite this, Ayan was relentless. He completed his Super 10 with a clever raid against Shubham Shinde, rallying his team back into contention. The Pirates managed to inflict an ALL OUT on the Titans as the gap narrowed to just five points, intensifying the final moments of the match.

As the game entered its climax, Bharat delivered a super raid, crucially tipping the scales in favor of the Titans. The Pirates, despite their valiant efforts, could not secure a comeback. Their impressive playoff run came to an end with a narrow defeat. The triumph not only marked a significant victory for the Titans but also set the stage for their upcoming showdown against Puneri Paltan—an important step for both teams on the road to the finals.

The anticipation builds for Qualifier 2, where the Titans and Puneri Paltan will compete fiercely for a place in the final! Fans can catch this exciting matchup on Wednesday, October 29. Tickets are available through the District by Zomato platform.

For live updates on the Pro Kabaddi League, fans are encouraged to visit Pro Kabaddi, download the official app, or follow @prokabaddi on social media. Matches are broadcast live on the Star Sports Network and can be streamed on JioHotstar starting at 7:30 PM.

ProKabaddi #TeluguTitans #PatnaPirates #Kabaddi #Qualifier2 #PuneriPaltan #SportsNews #KabaddiLeague #LiveSports

Original Text – https://www.deccanchronicle.com/sports/bharat-powers-telugu-titans-past-patna-pirates-to-end-their-winning-streak-set-up-qualifier-2-clash-with-puneri-paltan-1913236