PKL 10: Deepak's advance tackle cost us the match says Ram Mehar Singh

Gujarat Giants lost a close match against Haryana Steelers by only 4 points.

Despite trailing in the first half, Haryana Steelers made a spectacular comeback to defeat Gujarat Giants. In the 101st match of PKL 10 held on February 2, Gujarat Giants and Haryana Steelers faced each other. Gujarat had an 11-point lead in the first half, but Haryana staged a remarkable comeback in the second half, winning the match 34-30. The defenders, especially Fazel Atrachali and Deepak Singh, played a crucial role, scoring high fives. Mohit Nandal, Rahul Sethpal, and Jaideep Dahiya also performed well.

In the post-match press conference, Haryana Steelers‘ captain Jaideep Dahiya explained the strategy behind their remarkable comeback. On the other hand, Gujarat Giants’ coach Ram Mehar Singh cited two major reasons for their team’s defeat.

Which strategy made the Haryana Steelers make a tremendous comeback?

Haryana Steelers’ captain Jaideep Dahiya said, “Our team was lagging in the first half, so the focus was on how to make a comeback. Initially, we were trying to avoid tackles from their raiders, but in the second half, we attempted more tackles. It was under this strategy that we managed to make a comeback.”

Turning points of the match – Ram Mehar Singh

Gujarat Giants’ coach Ram Mehar Singh stated, “In the first half, our raiders and defenders showed excellent gameplay. After halftime, we adopted a strategy of playing Do-or-Die raids and defending aggressively. A lead of 11 points is not easy to overcome, so we knew their raiders would try to score more points. However, they started making advance tackles, preventing our raiders from earning bonuses. I believe Deepak’s advance tackle and Mohammad Nabibakhsh’s touch were the two major turning points of the match.”

Every team tries to keep good players out – Fazel Atrachali

Gujarat Giants’ captain Fazal Atrachali said, “If I give an example, Haryana’s right cover played well, and when they are out, I will try to keep them out for as long as possible, benefiting our raiders. Perhaps, their plan was also to keep me out for an extended period, and this is not a new strategy because every team tries to do the same.”

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