The focus will be on the defense when league-toppers Patna Pirates lock horns with U.P. Yoddha while it will be a battle of top raiders when Dabang Delhi K.C take on Bengaluru Bulls in the semi-finals of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 8 here on Wednesday.
The winners of these two matches will meet in the season finale on Friday (February 25).
Patna dominated the league stages through collective team performances led by their insatiable defense. But they will be facing a familiar foe in U.P. Yoddha’s Pardeep Narwal. The “record breaker” won three titles with the Patna team but will turn arch-nemesis for the first semi-final of the night.
Dabang Delhi K.C, the Season 7 runners-up, will be hoping to make it two finals in a row but a tough challenge awaits them in the form of the Bengaluru Bulls.
Bengaluru has shown that they are not totally dependent on Pawan Sehrawat with their secondary raiders Bharat and Chandran Ranjit finding form in the recent outings.
Focus on Pardeep Narwal
All eyes will be on Pardeep Narwal when he faces his old team Patna Pirates in the first semi-final. The star raider has looked in good shape in the recent matches, turning cagey battles into one-sided affairs with his massive multi-point raids. He will no doubt be Yoddha’s major trump card against Patna.
The Pirates got a direct slot in the semi-finals after topping the league table. They are a team in form and have a dangerous defense led by Iranian Mohammadreza Shadloui. The match could most likely be decided by how well Patna handled Pardeep’s raids.
The left raider won’t have a direct confrontation with Shadloui but the likes of Neeraj Kumar and Sajin C must be wary of jumping into early tackles. Pune paid the price for their eagerness by conceding a 5-point Super Raid against Narwal which turned the game around in Eliminator 1. Surender Gill has been a great deputy in attack for Yoddha while their famous corner combination of Sumit and Nitesh Kumar is also looking lethal.
It will be interesting how Patna shapes up in the attack. Sachin should be a favorite considering his rich form. But coach Ram Mehar Singh might opt for the experienced Monu Goyat instead of the impressive Guman Singh to be the second option in attack. Both teams won a match each when they met in the league stages.
Naveen v Pawan in second semis
Interestingly, the match between Delhi and Bengaluru will not only be about two of the best raiders in the country – Naveen Kumar and Pawan Sehrawat. In Naveen’s absence, Delhi’s seasoned stars realized their full potential with the likes of Manjeet Chhillar and Sandeep Narwal showing their mettle.
Similarly, Bengaluru’s defense and secondary raiders have risen to the challenge in their recent outings easing the pressure off Pawan’s shoulders.
The outstanding raiders will again be required to inflict maximum damage on the opponents. Naveen’s fitness will be a key concern but Delhi earned extra rest days by securing a direct spot in the semis by finishing second in the league stages.
Both Naveen and Pawan are known for their outstanding performances in pressure situations. But their time away from the mat will be limited with others helping them.
In Chandran Ranjit and Vijay, the Bulls have a potent raiding unit to support Pawan Sehrawat. Their corner duo of Sourabh Nandal and Aman has also been in good form which has allowed cover defender Mahender to be more expressive.
Delhi’s biggest strength is its experience. Manjeet Chhillar, Joginder Narwal, Sandeep Narwal are all seasoned stars who have been through multiple finals in their career. They will know how to perfectly navigate the challenge. In Vijay, they also have a stellar all-rounder to give Naveen the backup he wants. The Bulls won 1 and tied the other when the two teams met in the league phase.
