Bengaluru Bulls beat Patna Pirates for first win in PKL 12
Bengaluru Bulls earned their first win of Pro Kabaddi League Season 12, defeating Patna Pirates 38-30 in Vizag, with Alireza Mirzaian’s Super 10 and Aashish Malik’s eight points leading the charge
Hyderabad: The Bengaluru Bulls finally opened their tally in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 12, defeating Patna Pirates 38-30 at the Vishwanadh Sports Club in Vizag.
The clash saw Alireza Mirzaian complete a much-deserved Super 10, well supported by Aashish Malik’s eight points, as they bounced back from three straight losses.
The Pirates and the Bulls got off to a cagey start in the opening 10 minutes, with defences holding firm. Patna stayed ahead, leading 8-6 at the 10-minute mark, thanks to the tackling of Deepak and Sanket Sawant, who combined well. Raider Ayan Lohchab, who eventually scored a Super 10 for the Pirates, chipped in with a few points to give Patna the edge after a slow start.
For the Bulls, raider Ganesha Hanamantagol looked lively, but he was also contained on key occasions, including a tackle by Sawant that stalled the Bulls’ momentum. With Maninder Singh yet to make an impact and the Pirates capitalising on defensive lapses, the opening phase swung slightly in the Pirates’ favour.
The first half saw momentum swing both ways, with Ayan producing a moment of brilliance for the Pirates. His decisive raid wiped out Sanjay Dhull and Jitender Yadav, inflicting an all out on Bengaluru Bulls and briefly tilting the match in Patna’s favour.
Bengaluru, however, mounted a sharp comeback. Led by Alireza and Aashish Malik, the Bulls responded with an all out of their own, overturning the deficit. Sanjay’s key tackles further frustrated the Pirates, ensuring that by halftime, the Bulls had pulled ahead 19-15.
The start of the second half saw Sudhakar produce a brilliant raid that sent Yogesh and Satyappa off the mat, giving Patna a much-needed boost. Ayan also stepped up under pressure to dismiss Yogesh, keeping the Pirates in striking distance.
Alireza completed his Super 10 in style, with his final successful raid sealing both his milestone and the Bulls’ dominance. Despite late attempts by the Pirates to claw back, the momentum was gone, and the Bulls closed out a convincing eight-point win.
