Hyderabad, Dec 9 () With four wins in their past five games, the Haryana Steelers have enthralled their fans and showcased their skills on the mat. Despite a sensational 50-33 win over Telugu Titans on Thursday, at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium here, Haryana Steelers were unable to book a spot in the Playoffs, missing the margin by a whisker.
Ahead of their final encounter of the season against Tamil Thalaivas on Saturday, the JSW Sports-owned franchise feels confident about finishing the campaign on a high. Speaking of the upcoming game, Vinay said that the match would be a good chance for Manpreet Singh’s side to prove their mettle and show that they can beat any team on any given day.
“This is a sport, and wins and losses are part and parcel. We are very close on the table to the teams that have qualified, so one or two close results made the difference. But we are glad that we have showcased what we are capable of in the past few games and now our focus is completely on our next opponents, as we look to end the campaign with a bang,” the Haryana Steelers raider was quoted as saying in a release on Friday.
Tamil Thalaivas have already qualified for the playoffs with 66 points in 21 games but will be entering into the contest on the back of three straight wins. But Vinay insisted that Haryana Steelers have prepared well for the match and are more than ready for the challenge in store.
“We have worked really hard in the training for the upcoming game. We have studied our opponents well and we realise that they have a good raiding unit with Narender leading the show. He already has 177 points so far in the tournament, and we have studied his moves and strategies accordingly,” Vinay said.
“At this point, Haryana have shown that we can beat any team on any given day and if we can keep Narender out of the mat, we will have a good chance of getting the results. It will really motivate all the players in our squad to get the win in the final game,” he added.
Vinay further went on to praise the team’s unity in the recent games and credited the same for the positive results. He insisted that it will be a crucial factor in the upcoming match on Saturday against Thalaivas.
“We always back each other and offer our support to each other. While Manpreet and Meetu have been solid in raiding throughout the season, they consistently motivated others which allowed me, K. Prapanjan, and Rakesh Narwal among others to play freely and we all were able to contribute to the team in the recent matches,” Vinay, who scored seven points against Titans in the last match, said.
“Jaideep and Mohit form the backbone of our defence and the entire team relies on them. Yet, the two youngsters never feel any pressure and are always willing to give their best to the team. Such unity in the team makes all the difference, and I am confident, it will make the difference on Saturday,” he signed off.
bsk