All you need to know about Devank

Patna Pirates’ rising star Devank took Pro Kabaddi Season 11 by storm as he emerged as the standout raider of the recently concluded edition.

Having showcased his dominance in attack throughout PKL Season 11 with his impressive agile raiding skills and sharp instincts, Devank concluded the campaign with a whopping 301 raid points in 25 matches.

Devank registered the joint most Super 10s in PKL Season 11, tied with Ashu Malik of Dabang Delhi K.C. Both Devank and Ashu recorded 18 Super 10s in the season. Furthermore, the Pirates’ star raider also produced eight Super Raids in PKL Season 11 to establish him as one of the league’s most formidable raiders.

With his consistent performances, Devank played a pivotal role in guiding Patna Pirates to the Pro Kabaddi Season 11 Final. However, the Pirates later succumbed to a 23-32 defeat in the final to finish as runners-up in Pune.

Despite the defeat in the final, his brilliant attacking displays earned him the well-deserved title of the Best Raider of Season 11.

Earlier in the season, Devank rose to prominence after he produced a performance for the ages to help the Pirates pull off a miraculous victory from the jaws of defeat against Tamil Thalaivas at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium.

The Pirates’ young raider delivered a raiding masterclass as he scored an astonishing 25 raid points to power his side to a thrilling 42-40 win in Hyderabad.

“It was all about the team, and I thought someone had to step up. I never thought, even in my wildest dreams, that I’d score 25 points. It was my day. On another day, another player will step up. But it is important for us to play together, and that’s how we can win games,” Devank said after guiding the Pirates to their first win of the season.

Devank continued his scintillating form as he was adjudged the ‘Best Player’ in the 71st Senior National Men’s Kabaddi Championship.

Services rode on Devank’s outstanding performances to clinch the Senior National Men’s Kabaddi Championship for the first time since 2015. They pipped Railways in a nail-biting final at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha in February.

Devank’s Early Life

Devank was born into a farming family in Rohtak, Haryana on April 1, 2000. While Devank initially took an interest in kabaddi to escape from his studies, he later seriously started training in 2018.

“I never had the patience to sit and study, and when I saw my friends hardly attending classes because of their sports engagements, I thought I too could do the same if I started playing kabaddi after my 10th standard exams,” Devank was quoted as saying to Sportstar.

From Indian Army team to PKL

Devank’s life changed after he impressed in the kabaddi trials and joined the Indian Army team through their sports programme. His entry into the armed forces brought discipline and resilience to his life. He later grabbed the attention of PKL scouts in an inter-services tournament.

Following his eye-catching performances, Devank was roped in by Jaipur Pink Panthers through the NYP (New Young Player) programme for PKL Season 9.

Despite limited game time in his debut season, Devank bagged his maiden PKL title as Jaipur Pink Panthers clinched their second title in Season 9.

However, the talented raider later experienced a huge setback next season as he played just one game after he sustained a fractured skull in training.

He later joined Patna Pirates after he caught the attention of former Pirates coach Narender Redhu, who acquired his services at the PKL 2024 auction for INR 20.10 lakh.

“There was a different feeling at home. My family and villagers were happy that I was selected for the Patna team. People distributed laddoos and rasgullas in the village,” Devank stated after the Pirates signed him.

Having achieved early success in the PKL and Senior Nationals, Dalal is looking for continuous improvement and team success as he now aims to become the best raider in the game.

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