PKL 12: Key player battles to watch out for in Match 51, Patna Pirates vs Bengal Warriorz

Patna Pirates will look to continue their winning momentum in PKL 12 against Bengal Warriorz.

Patna Pirates are having a mystifying Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 (PKL 12). On the one hand, they have easily defeated the top two teams of the season, but they have lost five matches against the other, less settled teams. In the upcoming contest, they will face another struggling team like them.

The Pirates will face Bengal Warriorz on Saturday, September 27, 2025. The Bengal Warriorz have struggled throughout the season, but their captain, Devank Dalal, has impressed consistently. Bengal are in 11th position on the points table, whereas the Pirates are just above them in 10th position.

Patna Pirates must be looking to capitalise on the spectacular win they registered against Dabang Delhi, who were unbeaten until they faced the Pirates. On the other hand, Bengal Warriorz, who are playing a match after eight days, will look to make a fresh start and get back to winning ways.

On that note, let’s take a look at the key battles to watch out for between the Patna Pirates and Bengal Warriorz in PKL 12.

Ankit Rana vs Nitesh Kumar

Ankit Rana stunned everyone, especially Dabang Delhi, with his sensational raiding skills in the previous match. Rana scored 12 raid points in 16 raids to snatch that victory from Dabang Delhi’s jaws.

Rana has got his rhythm and will once again be crucial for the Pirates alongside Ayan in the upcoming match against Bengal Warriorz. To restrict Patna Pirates’ young raiding force, Bengal Warriorz’s out-of-form defence will have to make a crucial contribution.

Starting with Nitesh Kumar, who is an experienced campaigner for them but is having a poor season. Nitesh has scored just 10 points this season, and that is why their defense is not working.

The Warriorz are now returning to the mat after a week’s gap, and they would be expecting their most experienced defender to take responsibility and lead their defence to a solid performance.

Ayan Lohchab vs Ashish Malik

After a fantastic start to the season, Ayan’s form has taken a halt in the previous few contests. In 7 matches, Ayan has scored 76 raid points, including 3 Super 10s. However, in the last two games, Ayan has struggled in the middle.

Ayan will have to play a crucial role in putting pressure on the Warriorz’s defence. Or else if the defence gets dominant in the early phase of the match, it can be a problem for the Pirates. Talking about aggressive defence, Ashish Malik has been doing it for the Warriorz in the last couple of matches.

He has been brilliant for them and has been attempting and executing advanced tackles with a better success rate. Malik has scored 23 tackle points, including 4 High 5s in 6 matches this season. Ashish will have to continue his form, and if he gets support from Nitesh, the Warriorz can secure a win against the Pirates.

Devank Dalal vs Ankit Jaglan

Devank Dalal has been a one-man army for the Warriorz. He hasn’t got much support from the other raiders, but he has dominated every opponent. Devank has scored 109 raid points in 7 matches, scoring a Super-10 in every single game. Restricting him to as few points as possible will be key to the Patna Pirates’ victory.

He will be playing against his former franchise and teammates like Ankit Jaglan, Ayan Lohchab, and others. They must be aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

Patna Pirates are the only team that can restrict Devank’s hurricane. The Pirates’ captain, Ankit Jaglan, has to take the responsibility and lead from the front. Jaglan has been in good form recently, and this is the best time for him to put his team in a better position in the points table.

If the Pirates’ defence succeeds in restricting Devank Dalal, they will easily clinch another win.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Kabaddi on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.