PKL 12: Key player battles to watch out for in Match 17, Patna Pirates vs Bengaluru Bulls

Both teams will be eyeing their first win of the PKL 12.

Bengaluru Bulls and Patna Pirates have lost all their encounters in Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 (PKL 12) so far and are currently placed in the bottom three. The Bulls have not found their form, and they seem to get worse with every game they play. On the other hand, Patna Pirates have lost two close matches, but have looked like a decent side.

Both these teams will play each other on Saturday, September 6, 2025, to break their losing streak. The Bulls faced a massive defeat against U Mumba last night, 48-28, and looked totally clueless in both departments.

They are once again at the bottom of the table. Despite having players like Yogesh Dahiya, Ankush Rathee, Sanjay Dhull, and Jitender Yadav, the Bulls have failed to function as a defensive unit.

On the other hand, Patna Pirates have played well but are yet to put up a full performance. They will have a big opportunity to find their rhythm to perfection as the Bulls look more scattered.

As far as the Patna Pirates are concerned, the raiders have performed comparatively well, but the defenders have yet to put up a solid performance. On that note, let’s take a look at the key battles to watch out for between the Patna Pirates and Bengaluru Bulls in PKL 12.

Aashish Malik vs Ankit Jaglan

Aashish Malik is the only raider from Bengaluru Bulls who has made a minor impact this season. Malik has scored 20 raid points and 2 tackle points in 3 matches, and will be expected to do more in the upcoming matches.

On the other hand, Patna Pirates’ captain, Ankit Jaglan, needs to find his rhythm as soon as possible. He had a decent start to the season with 3 tackle points in the first match, but failed to score in the second match. The Pirates will want him to take the responsibility and find points against the Bulls.

Also Read: PKL 12: Patna Pirates vs Bengaluru Bulls prediction, possible starting 7, head-to-head & free live stream

Maninder Singh vs Ankush Rathee

After having a disastrous Season 11, Maninder Singh has started well in PKL 12. He has scored 22 raid points in 2 matches, including a Super 10, which came in a pressure game against Jaipur Pink Panthers, whose defence worked well that night.

He will be expected to maintain his dominance once again in the next match. Bengaluru Bulls will expect their defence to click in soon. Ankush Rathee didn’t play the last game, and the team looked extremely vulnerable without him.

If Rathee comes in the next match, the Bulls would want him to take the responsibility in the defence and get much more from them, as they can dominate the opposition if they put in good combination tackles.

Ayan Lohchab vs Yogesh Dahiya

Ayan Lohchab played as a second raider in the previous season and shone magnificently. However, this season hasn’t started very well for him yet.

In 2 matches, he scored just 15 raid points with no Super 10s. The Pirates management will hope that he regains his form quickly and does well in the upcoming matches.

Just like Ayan, Yogesh hasn’t found his form yet in Season 12. After having a good season 11 for Dabang Delhi, he was bought for a whopping 1.125 crores. However, his performance hasn’t justified the price or the expectations the Bulls had of him.

Dahiya has scored just 4 tackle points with a tackle success rate of 29%. If the Bulls are to win, Dahiya and Rathee will have to show a great combination in the corners and restrict Maninder, Ayan, and Sudhakar M from scoring points.

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