PKL 10: I have a lot of confidence in my team for final match, says Aslam Inamdar

The Paltan was too strong for the Pirates as it reached the final.

Tournament favourites Puneri Paltan confirmed their place in the final of the Pro Kabaddi League season 10 (PKL 10) playoff after defeating Patna Pirates in the semi-final by a 37-21 scoreline at the GMC Balayogi Sports Complex in Gachibowli, Hyderabad on 28 February 2024. It was a low-scoring game with both teams playing it safe but the Paltan, after finishing the league stage in the top position, looked in control.

Aslam Inamdar (7) was integral to the Puneri Paltan as he delivered a captain’s knock. On the other hand, Sachin (5) tried to marshall his troops but could not guide them to the win. The win takes the Paltan to the final with one hand on the trophy while the Pirates bow out after a hard-fought contest. The mood in the post-match presser was contrasting, expectedly, as both camps reflected on their respective performances.

Narender Redhu’s analysis

Narender Redhu, the head coach of the Patna Pirates, credited the injury to his captain Sachin as a contributing factor towards the defeat. “We started the game well, Sachin got us crucial points in the beginning but his injury during the game cost us a lot of points on raids. Furthermore, the main factor (for the loss) was our defence missing their third raid which extended their lead. It was an evenly-contested match otherwise,” he explained.

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Missed the trophy by a slender margin once again – Sachin 

The skipper of the Pirates was visibly distraught after the defeat and expressed his feelings regarding the season as a whole by saying, “The team played well during the season and corrected some mistakes from the home leg onwards. The coaches worked diligently with the team and it was everyone’s hard work that allowed us to reach this point. I had a good season but this was my fourth semi-final and I missed the trophy by a slender margin once again.”

“For next season, we will aim to work on our mistakes and improve on our performances,” he concluded.

BC Ramesh on reaching the final

The tactician clarified that the team needed to reach the final and the squad was content after achieving their objective. He said, “It felt good to reach the final because it was important for us after reaching that point last season too. The mood around the dressing room is positive. Everyone is happy to have attained a final berth.”

Credit to the team

Aslam Inamdar, being the humble figure that he is, credited his team for the win. He said, “If the seven players are contributing to the cause then my captaincy will be looked at in a positive light. All of the members of the team, the cover and the raiders, are doing well. When the team is playing fabulously, the captain also shines and when a team does not do well, nobody focuses on the skipper. I feel the players are performing excellently and my confidence in them is high. All of the credit goes out to the team, I cannot take it as the captain of the team.”

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