"They are doing it openly" - Devank criticizes poor umpiring and alleges bias against Patna Pirates in Pro Kabaddi 2024

Patna Pirates raider Devank Dalal has openly criticized the league's umpiring standards, alleging outright bias against his team in Pro Kabaddi League 2024.

Speaking to Khel Now, the star raider accused the umpires of deliberately making unfair calls.

“They are doing it openly. The world can see what’s happening. But we can’t do anything about it. We can only show our performance on the mat,” Devank declared.

The controversy dates back to December 6, during Patna Pirates’ reverse fixture against Haryana Steelers at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune. In a closely fought encounter, Patna lost 42-36, but the match was marred by questionable umpiring decisions. Devank’s frustration boiled over during the game, leading to a heated exchange with the officials, for which he received a yellow card.

Despite the uproar, Devank is having a phenomenal debut season, leading the raid points tally with 244 raid points to his name so far at the time of writing. His performances have been instrumental in the Pirates’ campaign, silencing critics who doubted the team’s potential at the start of the season.

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“No one believed in us” - Devank Dalal hails the contribution of head coach in Patna Pirates’ successful run in PKL 2024

While Devank’s criticism of umpiring has taken center stage, he didn’t miss the opportunity to laud Patna Pirates head coach Narender Redhu for the team’s unexpected success this season.

Patna Pirates, who were largely written off by experts due to their inexperienced raiding unit, now sit on the cusp of playoff qualification. Devank credited their coach for building a formidable unit and instilling confidence in the players.

“He handled everything and assembled such a good team. No one believed in us, but now the team is performing well, and everyone is becoming our fan. Our coach deserves all the credit, and he is doing everything and believes in all of us,” he added.

One of the Pirates’ biggest strengths this season has been the partnership between Devank Dalal and fellow raider Ayan. The duo has emerged as the most lethal pairing in PKL 11, wreaking havoc on opposition defenses. Their synergy on the mat has been a key factor in Patna’s successful run, and both players have become fan favorites.