Hyderabad: The Haryana Steelers put up a clinical performance, especially in the second half, to defeat Patna Pirates 33-23 at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium here on Friday.
Raider Manjeet emerged as the best player for Haryana Steelers with 10 points, while raider Meetu Sharma chipped in with 8 in the game.
Sachin and Rohit Gulia picked up a few raid points as the Pirates surged into the lead at 5-2 in the 5th minute. Moments later, Sachin caught Jaideep Dahiya and reduced the Steelers to just two members on the mat.
But Meetu Sharma effected a couple of raids and kept the Haryana side in the game at 5-7. The Steelers tackled Sachin and levelled the scores at 7-7 in the 11th minute.
Thereafter, the two sides kept trading points and were locked at 10-10 in the 17th minute. While Manjeet and Meetu picked up raid points for the Steelers, Gulia kept scoring raid points from the other end as the scoreline read 12-12 at the end of the first half.
Sajin C tackled Meetu and Rohit Gulia caught Manjeet in the opening minutes of the second half as the Pirates inched ahead at 16-12. However, the Steelers tackled Gulia in the 27th minute and stayed in the game at 14-16.
Meetu tried to equalse the score for the Steelers, but Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh tackled him as the Pirates continued to stay in the lead at 17-15.
However, Manjeet pulled off a SUPER RAID in the 33rd minute and helped his team level the scores at 19-19. Moments later, the Steelers inflicted an ALL OUT and took the lead at 23-21.
Manjeet carried out another multi-point raid as the Haryana side attained a four-point lead at 25-21 in the 37th minute. The Steelers inflicted another All-Out just before the final whistle and closed out a comprehensive victory.
–IANS