PKL Auction: Bengal Warriors use FBM to retain Maninder Singh for Rs 2.12 crore

He captained the Warriors to the PKL title in 2019.

Maninder Singh from Jalandar will return to the Bengal Warriors for Rs 2.12 crore - third most expensive buy (currently) in the history of Pro Kabaddi League. The 33-year-old was initially sold to Telugu Titans, but Bengal Warriors exercised the FBM (Final Bid Match) to get back their primary raider for the upcoming PKL season 10.

The tall lanky raider has been associated with PKL since its inception in 2014. After starting his career with the Jaipur Pink Panthers, he shifted flanks to Bengal Warriors in 2017 ahead of PKL season 6. The six-foot-tall raider scored 238 raid points last season (PKL season 9) and finished inside top-five in the raiders' chart.

He was retained by Bengal Warriors last season but was released by the franchise ahead of the current season after having served the franchise for close to half a decade. Last season, Maninder became the second player after Pardeep Narwal to score 1,000 raid points in PKL history. However, he could not take the team to the playoffs due to lack in raiding depth.

Performance over the years

Maninder Singh was one of the most sought raiders in PKL season 1 and scored 130 raid points in Jaipur’s title triumph. He was rated the third-best raider overall in the inaugural season behind the legend Anup Kumar. 

He went off the radar for the next three seasons due to injuries and finally returned to action in PKL season 5. Bengal Warriors put high hopes on him, and he did not disappoint by scoring 190 raid points in his comeback season (5). Since then, Maninder has been an integral part of the eastern franchise and also captained the side to title in PKL season 7 defeating Dabang Delhi KC.

Overall, Maninder Singh sits in the second spot in the raiders' chart with 1231 points across the six seasons he has taken part in.