PKL 12: Pro Kabaddi League title race wide open after table toppers Puneri Paltan, Dabang Delhi see win streaks halted
Patna Pirates hand Dabang Delhi first defeat of PKL 12
The 2025 Pro Kabaddi League season seemed to be turning into a two-horse race between Dabang Delhi and Puneri Paltan over the first three weeks of the campaign, but a couple of unexpected results this weekend have turned the outlook on its head.
The Delhi-based outfit entered the SMS Indoor Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday to face the Patna Pirates with a perfect record of six wins in six matches and as clear favourites to win the match according to all the best betting sites in India.
However, despite controlling proceedings for the first two quarters, in which Neeraj Narwal had already racked up six points by halftime, the Pirates managed to remain in the contest before super-sub Ankit Rana spearheaded a stunning comeback.
Rana continuously proved a menace to the Delhi defence and, in the end, earned 12 raid points to close the gap, while in defence, Ankit Rana was a wall, producing tackle after tackle to deny his opponent from building up any sort of rhythm. The Pirates eventually edged their opponents 33-30 in the final quarter.
Haryana Steelers deliver classy effort against Puneri Paltan
After making high-profile acquisitions during pre-season, Haryana Steelers fans were starting to grow concerned that their side were struggling to keep up with the league leaders this season after losing two of their first four games.
However, the Steelers now seem to be in full flow after toppling leaders Puneri Paltan 34-30 on Friday evening, which took them to 12 points in the standings and marked their fourth victory on the bounce in Season 12 of the Pro Kabaddi League.
Haryana were on the front foot early against Puneri and shot out to a 14-4 lead before the first half time timeout was called. The Paltan started the second half much better and pulled the scores back to 27-25 at one point, but Vinay stepped up in a big way for the Steelers' defence.
The sides continued trading blows as the scoreboard ticked to 30-29, but in the final minute, Shivam Patarre became the difference-maker, sealing the game with a two-point raid to extend his side’s lead to 34-30.
PKL 12 latest standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Puneri Paltan | 9 | 6 | 3 | 12 |
| 2 | Dabang Delhi K.C. | 7 | 6 | 1 | 12 |
| 3 | Haryana Steelers | 8 | 6 | 2 | 12 |
| 4 | Telugu Titans | 9 | 4 | 5 | 8 |
| 5 | Jaipur Pink Panthers | 7 | 4 | 3 | 8 |
| 6 | U Mumba | 7 | 4 | 3 | 8 |
| 7 | Bengaluru Bulls | 8 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| 8 | Tamil Thalaivas | 7 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 9 | Patna Pirates | 7 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| 10 | UP Yoddhas | 6 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 11 | Bengal Warriorz | 7 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| 12 | Gujarat Giants | 6 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
