PKL Season 11: Team effort is the focus, reckons Patna Pirates head coach after dominant win

Noida, Nov 20 (IANS) Head coach Narender Kumar Redhu praised his defenders and raiders after they delivered a clinical performance as Patna Pirates decimated the Bengaluru Bulls 54-31 at the Noida Indoor Stadium in Match 64 of Season 11 of Pro Kabaddi League.

The raiding duo of Ayan and Devank ran riot, scoring 12 and 16 points respectively to assert their dominance in a convincing win on Tuesday that helped the three-time champions jump to third place on the points table.

In the post-match press conference, Patna Pirates' head coach Redhu spoke about his team’s comprehensive performance and said the focus will be on team effort.

“It was a good match for us, in terms of defending and raiding. Both departments did their job today. At the start of the game, the defenders kept the Bengaluru Bulls quiet and then it was our raiders who capitalized on that. So, both of them did their bit to help us win the game. We had 8 or 9 Super Tackles today, so they deserve full credit for their effort,” said the head coach.

Redhu was also quick to acknowledge the Bengaluru Bulls and their performance this season.

“Bengaluru Bulls have played well this season and have lost games by close margins. They’re a good team with big names. Pardeep is a big star, if he fires then the situation of the game can change. They have Ajinkya and Akshit too, who are good raiders. So, we had to ensure that we play with some control against these players,” he said.

The head coach also spoke about former star of the Patna Pirates player, record-breaker Pardeep Narwal. He mentioned that the raider is and always will be a star.

“Pardeep has given three trophies to the Patna Pirates and he is one of the best raiders in the league. There are some moments in a player’s career where he can’t continuously deliver for the team. Pardeep is a star and will always be a star. However, if our defense can stay in control and get us the line, they deserve full credit for it,” he stated.

The Patna Pirates head coach played down the questions about his team’s title ambitions this season, stating that his team will go step-by-step as they try to make progress. His team will have a short break before they face the UP Yoddhas on 24th November.

When asked about how the team will approach that game, the Patna Pirates’ head coach said, ”I believe that no team in the league is easy to face. Everyone comes with a set plan, and we have to react to how they play and plan accordingly.”

--IANS

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