Pro Kabaddi 2017: Bengal Warriors snatch thrilling draw from under the noses of Patna Pirates

Bengal Warriors rallied in the second half and took the match down to the last second. Patna Pirates were leading by a point even with 10 seconds remaining in the match but Bengal managed to smuggle that point and snatch a draw from under their noses.

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While Patna Pirates dominated the first half, the second half was all about Bengal Warriors. (Source: Pro Kabaddi release)

A 13-point deficit was too much for U Mumba to close in the first match on Friday. But Bengal Warriors managed to do that in the second match of the day against Patna Pirates. They looked a side well and truly beaten at half time. But they rallied in the second half and took the match down to the last second. Patna Pirates were leading by a point even with 10 seconds remaining in the match and yet, Bengal managed to smuggle that point and snatch a draw from under their noses.

Maninder Singh did not play for Bengal on the day. He and Jang Kun Lee have been the chief source of points for Bengal Warriors in the raiding department. Even the big Korean was ineffective by his standards on Friday. But Bengal found insipration in 22-year-old Deepak Narwal. Narwal managed to get 11 points in the match, five of which he scored in the last five minutes.

The match was effectively a story of two halves. Patna Pirates were the heroes of the first. The two teams were more or less on equal footing in the first five minutes. But the Pirates’ superiority in the raiding department mean that they led 6-4 at the end of it. From there, they were relentless. Pardeep Narwal as ruthlessly efficient as ever and, in the 11th minute Patna inflicted the first all out of the game on Bengal Warriors. The Warriors would have been all out once again in the same half had it not been for Jang Kun Lee. He was the last man standing towards the end of the first half but he managed a point out of his raid. Even then, Patna’s superiority was there for all to see and the score was 24-11 in their favour.

The second half was all about Bengal Warriors. They ensured that Pardeep Narwal didn’t get into his defence busting mode as he has done so often this season. Lee and Deepak Narwal started scoring points from the other end while the defence, led by Surjeet Singh, were tackling raiders at the first opportunity. The shocked expressions on the faces of the Patna Pirates and Surjeet’s triumphant stance after the final whistle blew pretty much summed up the match.