Mumbai, Dec 12 (IANS) The Season 9 of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) will reach the business end after 9 weeks of vigorous clashes between 12 sides when the Bengaluru Bulls take on Dabang Delhi K.C. in Eliminator 1 on Tuesday at the Dome, NSCI SVP Stadium here.
The Playoffs will continue on Tuesday with U.P Yoddhas facing off against Tamil Thalaivas in Eliminator 2 as the kabaddi fever reaches its peak. All four teams will be playing for a place in the Semi-Finals.
The Jaipur Pink Panthers will meet the winner of the match between Bengaluru Bulls and Dabang Delhi KC, while the Puneri Paltan will face the winner of the match between U.P Yoddhas and Tamil Thalaivas in the semifinals on Thursday. The final of the vivo Pro Kabaddi League Season 9 will be played on Saturday.
Speaking about Season 9 so far, Anupam Goswami, Head Sports Leagues, Mashal Sports and League Commissioner, Pro Kabaddi League said, “The biggest takeaway from the consumption point of view is the return of the spectator across Bengaluru, Pune and Hyderabad. It was heartening to see the presence and exuberance of the spectators and their engagement with the action on the mat from before the start of the match to the end of the award ceremony. I think there are clear signs that the Indian sports spectator want more of kabaddi.”
When asked about Jaipur Pink Panthers’ fantastic form throughout the PKL Season 9, Jaipur’s captain Sunil Kumar, “Fitness is the most important thing in the vivo Pro Kabaddi League since there are a lot of matches. So I would say the combination of fitness, our coach’s strategies, the support from the team management and the players knowing each other well has helped us perform well this season.”
The Puneri Paltan have a young side and some of them will be playing their first PKL Playoffs. When asked if the young players in the Pune side will feel extra pressure in the Playoffs, captain Fazel Atrachali said pressure is there in every match.
“There is a lot of pressure in every match. I would be lying if I said there’s no pressure. However, we have young talents and they are good players. We have a good coaching staff and I feel that we can help the young players deal with the pressure in the Playoffs. I promise that the young players will play well in the Playoffs.”
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