Grabbing opportunities is the only way to achieve success in sports. Season 11 of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) has seen quite a few players come up with impressive performances, making the most of their chances. One of the standout performers in the early part of the season has been the Patna Pirates’ young raider Devank Dalal, who made people sit up and take note of his talent.

Hailing from Rohtak in Haryana, young Devank had the Hyderabad crowd chanting his name when he single-handedly took the Patna Pirates to an improbable win against the Tamil Thalaivas. It was the Patna Pirates’ first win of the season, and Devank scored a whopping 25 points as they came from behind and clinched the win, quite literally from the jaws of defeat.

“It was all about the team and I was thinking that something or someone has to step up for Patna Pirates on the mat. On that day, against the Tamil Thalaivas, it was my day, and on another day, there will be another player who does well. But, it is important for us to play together and that’s how we can win games,” Devank said.

For Devank, the sole focus lies on ensuring the former champions Patna Pirates do well in PKL Season 11.

“My teammates, the captain Shubham Shinde, kept giving me the confidence to go and attack and get the points. I have received a lot of support from the team management at the Patna Pirates and I want to make every opportunity count,” he added.

However, when the topic of his personal goals and ambitions came, a very determined Devank explained, “When I was in the Jaipur Pink Panthers in the ninth season, I had one star on my shirt, and then we won the title that year. The next year (Season 10) we played with two stars on the shirt, and now at the Patna Pirates, I have three stars on my shirt this year. But when we play Season 12, I want to have four stars on my kit. I definitely want to make Patna Pirates win a fourth title.”

The 22-year-old Devank, who started out his kabaddi journey with the Indian Army, is the first from his family to take up the sport. Now, two of his younger siblings have followed in his footsteps.

“My family keeps telling me to keep working hard, and that nothing is impossible in this lifetime if you try. My family and friends are also happy, and if they are happy that’s all I need,” said Devank said.

“I want to do my best to make sure that my family has a good life going forward. They have seen a lot of hard times, and now it is my time to give back to them and help lead a happy life. They have done a lot for me, and I want to be able to do something nice for them,” he signed off.