The Telugu Titans delivered a commanding performance to end Patna Pirates’ stunning run in the Pro Kabaddi League, claiming a 46-39 victory in Eliminator 3 at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Tuesday night. Bharat Hooda was the star of the show, leading from the front with 23 raid points to steer his team into Qualifier 2, where they will face defending champions Puneri Paltan for a place in the final against Dabang Delhi.
The contest lived up to its billing, starting at a furious pace with both teams trading early blows. Ayan Lohchab, Patna’s in-form raider, was tackled in his first attempt, followed immediately by a failed raid from Vijay Malik. The Pirates recovered quickly, however, as Ankit Rana’s swift touch points gave them a 13-9 lead at the end of the opening quarter.
Midway through the first half, Ayan achieved a personal milestone, becoming only the fifth player in PKL history to cross 300 raid points in a single season with a successful raid on Ajit Pawar. His consistency has been remarkable this season — the raider’s 316 raid points not only mark a career-best but also make him the first in league history to record six 20-plus point matches in one season.
However, the Titans soon wrestled back control. Shubham’s decisive tackle on Ayan and Chetan Sahu’s smart touch on Deepak cut the deficit to one, before the Titans inflicted an ALL OUT to surge ahead 22-20 at halftime.
After the break, Bharat’s momentum carried the Titans further. A successful raid on Ankit Rana extended their lead, and moments later, he completed his Super 10 with a touch on Ashish Birwal. With their defense in sync, the Titans forced a second ALL OUT on Patna, stretching the advantage to double digits.
The Pirates tried to fight back, with Ayan continuing to raid effectively and Navdeep completing his fourth High Five of the season. Yet, the lack of support from the rest of the lineup proved costly. Although Patna managed to inflict an ALL OUT to close the gap to five points, the Titans maintained composure.
Defender Ankit’s crucial tackle on Milan Dahiya and Bharat’s late flurry of touch points on Rana and Deepak sealed the outcome. Fittingly, Bharat ended the night with a Super Raid — a statement finish to a performance that combined skill, power, and leadership.
For Patna, the loss ended a spirited campaign that included an eight-match winning streak, while for the Titans, it marked another step closer to the final. With momentum firmly on their side, they now turn their focus to Puneri Paltan in a high-stakes Qualifier 2 clash.
