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The Haryana Steelers showed nerves of steel and secured their berth in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 Final, and sent the UP Yoddhas packing in Semi-Final 1, at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi in Pune.
The Haryana Steelers won a very closely fought contest by a scoreline of 28-25, with Shivam Patare, Vinay, Rahul, and Mohammadreza Shadloui playing starring roles in the victory. This is the second consecutive time that the Haryana Steelers have made the final of the PKL. It was an action-packed start to the evening, with both the Haryana Steelers and the UP Yoddhas going for the kill in the early exchanges, as they looked to gain momentum. It was neck and neck in the first few minutes, before the UP Yoddhas, pulled away with a three-point lead. Mohammadreza Shadloui and Vinay were doing the heavy lifting for the Haryana Steelers, while Gagan Gowda and Sumit led the charge for the UP Yoddhas. As the half wore on, both sides traded points, raids, and tackles, and neither side could pull away with the lead. Vinay was scoring crucial points for the Haryana Steelers, and Bhavani Rajput was ensuring the UP Yoddhas stayed within touching distance. Even as the defensive units of both the teams kept things quite secure, the Haryana Steelers were able to go into the half-time break with a lead of 12-11. Early in the second half, the Haryana Steelers put their foot down on the accelerator and notched up an All-Out on their opponents, which put the pressure on the UP Yoddhas. Shivam Patare and Vinay were causing the opposition defence all sorts of problems, while Mohammadreza Shadloui was chipping in with important points as well. At the half-hour mark, the Haryana Steelers were well and truly in the box seat and had a three-point lead. The domination from the Haryana Steelers continued, and they kept the UP Yoddhas at bay with relative ease. The table toppers in the league stage of PKL Season 11, were showing their mettle, even though Gagan Gowda and Bhavani Rajput were doing their best to upset the apple cart. With the clock running into the final minutes, it was up to the UP Yoddhas to chase game, and Gagan Gowda was doing his best to level things up. Gagan Gowda completed his Super 10 in the final minute, but the Haryana Steelers showed why their defence is considered to be so dangerous, as they slammed the door shut on any chance of a comeback. Eventually, the Haryana Steelers won the semi-final and were on the way to their second PKL final in as many years. (ANI)
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