It was the best performance by our defence this season, asserts Manpreet SIngh

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Gujarat Fortunegiants coach Manpreet Singh has stated that it was a day when all the plans worked for them and it was their defence’s best match this season, hence they won the game easily. The Fortunegiants defeated the Patna Pirates in a totally one-sided match at the Thyagaraj Sports Complex.

The Gujarat Fortunegiants played the Patna Pirates in an inter-zone match and defeated the latter thoroughly 45-27 thus qualifying for the playoffs of this Pro Kabaddi season. The margin of defeat suggested that the Fortunegiants totally decimated the opposition challenge. Looking at the fact that Patna’s lead raider Pardeep Narwal managed to get only one point in the match it could be sensed that the Fortunegiants had come prepared in all the aspects to keep the raider under control.

“In the entire league so far, the team has performed very well. Both the defence and the raiders. And what we had planned for today's match, that was a 100 percent success. The raiders worked well and for the defence, I think it was their best match of the league,” said Manpreet Singh.

This win pushed the Fortunegiants to the playoffs which the team coach explained is the basic goal of any team that plays the tournament.

“See, whenever you play in the league, the target is to reach the Playoffs. And when you qualify for it, then hope builds up that you can make it through the Eliminator or Qualifier matches, and then the Final. But we'll continue to work hard, the way we have been,” he added.

Captain and the lead raider of Patna Pirates Pardeep Narwal managed a single point from the match and had to sit on the bench most of the game. The Fortunegiants’ coach revealed why despite being in fantastic form before the encounter Narwal could not perform in the match.

“He is a very good player. He was the best raider of Pro Kabaddi in Season 5. But the coach explained the strategy to us and we worked accordingly. We got immediate success,”Sunil Kumar said.

On the other hand, tasting a defeat after six back to back wins, Patna Pirated looked vulnerable and non-competitive one a day when nothing seemed to go in their favour. The coach said that neither the defence not the offence did the job for the team and that explains the huge margin of defeat.

“Our lead raider didn't fire and the defence erred a bit as well. And when both sides don't deliver, then you have a large margin of loss, which is what happened today,” Ram Mehar SIngh said.

The coach said that the start they got placed them well in the game and thereafter they just could not make a comeback. But the coach sounded confident and said that they will win the next match which they play against the Puneri Paltan in another Inter-zone match on December 7th. 

“With so many games in a season, losses are bound to come. They are a part of the game. We'll win the next match! We thought we'd win this match too but the start itself didn't go our way. Even at half-time, the deficit of 7-8 points wasn't much. We have covered 10-point deficits before and gone on to win the match by 10 points, so that covers a 20-point turnaround. You just need a raider or so to deliver to get back in the game,” he added.

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