The Jaipur Pink Panthers walked away with a solid 35-30 win against the Patna Pirates during Match 7 of Pro Kabaddi League Season 9 in Bengaluru. Arjun Deshwal, widely regarded as one of the league's premier raiders, put on a clinic to secure the team's first win, ending the match with 17 points. Rohit Gulia fought hard for the Pirates, finishing as their top performer with 11 points.
The standings currently show the Bengaluru Bulls in first place, having secured 10 points from two matches. Jaipur Pink Panthers follow in second with 6 points, while Dabang Delhi, the reigning champions, sit in third with 5 points. For the Patna Pirates, it's been a tough start; after a tie against Puneri Paltan, they suffered their second consecutive failure to win. However, they did earn a single point since they kept the deficit within seven points.
Early in the match, Rohit Gulia gave the Pirates a 6-3 lead by the 8th minute. However, Deshwal shifted the momentum, bringing Jaipur level at 7-7 with a series of skillful raids. Patna nearly faced an 'All Out' shortly after, but a brilliant raid by Sachin kept them in the lead at 10-9. The tide eventually turned, however, as the Panthers managed to wipe out the Patna squad, taking a 12-11 lead.
Deshwal continued his streak with a two-point raid, while defender Ankush played a pivotal role by tackling Sachin. By the 18th minute, Jaipur had built a commanding 17-12 lead and maintained that energy through the break, leading by four. Deshwal's dominance was highlighted by a 'Super 10,' whereas Rahul Chaudhari struggled significantly, failing to score in three separate raids.
Patna struggled with errors, handing over points when Ajith Kumar took out Neeraj Kumar and Gulia—the latter making a questionable charge near the midline. Deshwal then delivered a massive blow with a super raid that eliminated three opponents. Following a tackle on Vishwas by Sunil Kumar, Patna was 'All Out' once again, leaving the Panthers with a dominant 10-point lead.
While Sachin managed a great raid in the 37th minute, the Pirates simply couldn't find a consistent rhythm, allowing Jaipur to maintain a 34-26 lead. In the final stretch, the Panthers played it safe, avoiding unnecessary risks to seal their comprehensive win.