Chaudhari’s charge leads Telugu Titans to victory over Patna Pirates

An all-round performance helped Telugu Titans end their home leg with a 41-36 victory over Patna Pirates at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Vizag on Thursday. The two leading raiders in VIVO Pro Kabaddi, Rahul Chaudhari for Telugu Titans and Pardeep Narwal for Patna Pirates, returned with Super 10s on the night. An 11-point second half effort from Narwal, however, wasn’t enough as Patna Pirates fell short.

Telugu Titans flew off the blocks as they got the first six points of the game without a response from Patna Pirates. Chaudhari got a touch on Jawahar to open the scoring before Nilesh Salunke got a Super Raid in the 3^rd minute. The four-point raid put Telugu Titans six points up before Vijay got the first points for Patna Pirates with a touch on Salunke to go with a bonus.

Check out the photos from the match here.

Chaudhari then got a touch on Vijay to become the second man to get to 800 raid points in VIVO Pro Kabaddi history and shortly after Telugu Titans inflicted the first All Out of the game in the 5^th minute and led by 11-5 at this point.

Patna Pirates got their first tackle points of the game in the 10^th minute courtesy a Jaideep Super Tackle on Chaudhari. This reduced the deficit to seven points with the scores reading 16-9. Patna Pirates, however, weren’t allowed to come back into the game as Telugu Titans went on the offensive and managed to score 7 of the next 10 points. This period included Telugu Titans inflicting their second All Out of the game in the 17^th minute as Salunke got a thigh hold on Narwal and increasing their lead to nine points. Mohsen Maghsoudloujafari ensured Telugu Titans went into the second half on a high as he got a double thigh hold on Narwal to end the half 26-15.

Telugu Titans started the second half as they ended the first, getting the first two points of the half before Patna Pirates responded. A block by Vikas Kale on Chaudhari started the comeback for Patna Pirates. Jaideep managed to get an ankle-hold on Salunke to reduce Telugu Titans to two players on the mat before Narwal got touches on Vishal Bhardwaj and Maghsoudloujafari to help Patna Pirates inflict their first All Out of the game in the 8^th minute and bring their deficit down to six points.

Visit the matchcentre to relive the contest here.

Chaudhari got his Super 10 soon after and then Narwal followed suit minutes later with the lead staying constant at six points with these exchanges. Telugu Titans then managed four of the next five points to lead 38-29 with four minutes to play.

Patna Pirates however looked to come back into the game once again; this time with the help of Super Tackles. Manish first got a double thigh hold on Chaudhari in the 18^th minute before Vikas Kale followed it up with a Super Tackle of his own with an ankle hold on Chaudhari in the final minute. The deficit though, still stood at six points.

Vijay Kumar came in for his first raid and got touches on Anil and Farhad Milaghardan to keep the game alive for Patna Pirates. Trailing by four points, Narwal came in for the final raid of the game. Bhardwaj, however thwarted any attempts of a Super Raid as he managed a double thigh hold on Narwal to give Telugu Titans a 41-36 victory.

Top Performers

Telugu Titans

Best Raider: Rahul Chaudhari (13 raid points)

Best Defender: Mohsen Maghsoudloujafari (4 tackle points)

Patna Pirates

Best Raider: Pardeep Narwal (12 raid points)

Best Defender: Jaideep (4 tackle points)