In a commanding display of kabaddi prowess, Haryana Steelers bested U Mumba 47-30, cementing their position at the summit of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 11 table at the Badminton Hall in the Balewadi Sports Complex on Sunday.
According to a release from PKL, the Haryana Steelers returned to winning ways, with Shivam Patare's exceptional 14-point performance leading the charge.
While the victory solidified their status as table-toppers, U Mumba's playoff aspirations remain in the balance, as they must now anxiously await the final match of the league stage to learn their top-six fate.
The match began with the Haryana Steelers taking an early lead as Rinku eliminated Vinay, and Manjeet secured a bonus point to make it 0-2.
The momentum shifted dramatically when U Mumba suffered an all-out following an impressive raid by Shivam Patare, who eliminated Lokesh Ghosliya and Sunil Kumar. Sanjay then tackled Rohit Raghav, extending the score to 11-7.
After establishing their early control, the Haryana Steelers faced resistance from U Mumba. However, Shivam Patare continued his impressive performance, notably scoring a two-point raid against Parvesh Bhainswal and Rinku.
Mohammadreza Shadloui successfully defended against Rohit Raghav, and the team inflicted another all-out when Manjeet was caught by Rahul Sethpal and the Haryana Steelers' defence. The match remains firmly in control of the table-toppers, with the score standing at 26-14 at half-time.
As the match entered the second half, the Haryana Steelers continued to assert their dominance, though both teams showed moments of defensive prowess. Lokesh managed to get an ankle hold on Vinay, while Shadloui demonstrated his defensive skills by successfully tackling Rohit Raghav.
Despite Sathish Kannan managing to escape Shadloui's half-hearted hold, the Steelers maintained their comfortable lead. The score stretched to 33-20 after Vinay executed a skilful turn near the baulk line, evading Sunil Kumar's attempt to tackle him, further cementing the Steelers' commanding position in the match.
A third all-out was inflicted on the Haryana Steelers, as Vinay joined the raiding furore that was initially led by Shivam Patare. He got Parvesh Bhainswal and Sathish Kannan in one fell swoop, landing the final blow on the playoff aspirants.
The match ended with a score difference of 17 points, as Rahul Sethpal and Mohammadreza Shadloui completed their High 5, while Shivam Patare finished with 14 points to his name on the night.
