PKL 10: We will not feel any pressure in semifinal or final, says Jaipur Pink Panthers' captain Sunil Kumar

The Pink Panthers were too strong for the Giants in an entertaining contest.

Tournament favourites, the Jaipur Pink Panthers beat the Gujarat Giants by a 45-36 scoreline in PKL 10 at the Tau Devilal Indoor Stadium in Panchkula on 19 February 2024. It was the last league game for both outfits that have confirmed their place in the playoffs of the ongoing season of the Pro Kabaddi League. With this win, the Pink Panthers finish in the top position on the standings and make their way into the semis.

Arjun Deshwal scored 13 points for the Jaipur Pink Panthers, proving to be the star once again while Parteek Dahiya (14) did his best to propel the Gujarat Giants to win. Both camps reflected on the match and indicated that they are looking forward to playing in the playoffs after the conclusion of the league stage in their interaction with the media.

Here are the excerpts from the conversation in the post-match press conference:

The plan was to rotate – Ram Mehar Singh

Ram Mehar Singh indicated that giving fringe players a chance was a priority against the Pink Panthers. He said, “Our planning was to rotate the players. We decided to give our key players some time on the mat and then replace them with bench players who would benefit from the experience. It was also a chance to test some players if they would be of use during the playoffs.”

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It was a friendly match – Fazel Atrachali

The skipper talked about the negative result, a defeat, not impacting the playoff preparation. He said, “No, we are not affected by this. For us, it was a friendly match. The discussion with the coach was about playing freely without worrying about winning or losing the game.”

It feels good to win – Sunil Kumar

Talking about the positive impact of the win, the skipper said, “The players that came in, such as Sumit and Navneet, they did well. Whenever the team wins, it feels good. To win before entering the playoffs is a good outcome and we hope the morale stays high for the next matches.”

We are not under any pressure – Sunil Kumar

Showing a lot of belief and confidence, the defender talked about being ready for any opponent and focusing on reaching the final. He said, “We are not thinking along the lines of hoping to avoid any particular team. We will try to give our best no matter which team faces us in the semi-final and try to reach the final. We are not under any sort of pressure.”

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