Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 20: Patna Pirates delivered a spectacular second-half turnaround to overpower Puneri Paltan 38–27 at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium on Sunday, with Ayan Lohchab starring for the winners.

Trailing 15–13 at halftime, the Pirates came out firing in the second half, with Ayan contributing 17 points and orchestrating crucial raids. The Pirates’ defence, led by Navdeep and Ankit Kumar, held firm against the table-toppers, ensuring Puneri Paltan could not regain momentum.

The first half saw both teams locked in a tactical battle. Patna initially led 8–5, thanks to smart rotations of raiders Ayan and Ankit Kumar and timely defensive stops by Deepak and Navdeep. However, Puneri’s defensive trio – Abinesh Nadarajan, Rakesh, and Sanjay Enania – pulled off Super Tackles, and combined with raids from Abhishek Gunge and Mohammad Nabibakhsh, the Paltan took a slender halftime lead.

In the second half, the Pirates struck back with clinical raids from Ayan and Stuart Singh, supported by defensive brilliance from Ankit and Navdeep. A pivotal ALL OUT by Milan Dahiya further swung the momentum in Patna’s favour. Despite intermittent resistance from Puneri’s Gunge and Nabibakhsh, the Pirates’ cohesive performance ensured a decisive lead.

Patna Pirates’ victory was marked by balanced play in both raiding and defence, highlighting their early-season form and putting them on a strong footing in the league standings.