Pro Kabaddi League 2017 Season 5: Five talking points from Day 37 of PKL 5
What's better than a tie game in kabaddi? Two. On the same night.
Four teams took to the mat on the opening day in Sonepat and none emerged victorious as we got to witness two ties on the night. The Haryana Steelers, playing in front of a raucous home crowd couldn't keep Pardeep Narwal and his Patna Pirates down long enough and two teams that have struggled in recent times - the Gujarat Fortunegiants and the UP Yoddha then followed suit with a tie of their own.
What a start to the Haryana leg!
#1 When you have a plan and you are committed to it, it can work wonders
Pardeep Narwal is not your average raider. He is not even your average elite raider. He possesses a skill set and a keen sense of awareness that makes him one of the most dangerous men to contain on the mat. Despite all that though, it doesn't hurt to have a plan.
The Haryana Steelers had one for Pardeep here tonight - don't let him settle and pounce before 10 seconds of the raid clock are up. Pardeep's normal raiding pattern sees him enter enemy territory, plant himself on the left corner and then go to work with his sudden movements. The Steelers never let him get established on that left corner, not allowing him a firm base from which to operate. Mohit Chhillar was outstanding on the night, springing to snap up Pardeep at any given opportunity like a hungry crocodile.
The strategy worked wonders as Pardeep, coming off a 21-point outing in his previous game, had just one point to show at the end of the first half, that too a Bonus Point. It was a superlative defensive showing from the home side as they came prepared for Pardeep and stayed committed to it.
With Surjeet Narwal and Wazir Singh masterful in the raid department, the Steelers left the Pirates looking for answers as their impressive all-round showing powered them to a 20-12 half-time lead with the Pirates once again down to just two men and on the brink of a second All Out.