PKL: A look at Fazel Atrachali's journey in the Pro Kabaddi League

Fazel Atrachali has been the most prolific defender in the Pro Kabaddi League.

As a defender, there is no position in the sport of kabaddi as crucial as the left corner. The stats speak for themselves—in seven out of 11 seasons of the Pro Kabaddi League, the defender with the most tackle points has been a left corner. There is a simple reason for that—most raiders operate from their right, which means they go directly up against the left corner.

Hence, for a team’s success, it is necessary to have a skillful player with a calm head, who not only manages to keep the raider unsettled but also doesn’t get enticed if he tries to tempt. There have been great players, who have managed to perform the role to perfection. There have been legends, who will forever be remembered.

And there have been some who have had a stature higher than that. While adding names to this elite list, not many would be placed above Fazel Atrachali.

Fazel, who made his PKL debut in the second edition, has been the best defender in the league’s history by far. He has accumulated a total of 545 tackle points in 188 matches, at a rate of 2.7 successful tackles per match. His greatness is defined by the fact that the second-best defender on the list is Surjeet Singh with 443 tackle points.

The Iranian has mastered the art of when to go in and when to stay away. And if you are a raider trying to escape from his iron-clad ankle hold grip or a fierce block, you are likely to be unsuccessful most times.

Also Read: PKL: Top 10 defenders with most tackle points in Pro Kabaddi League history

However, Fazel is not all about his defensive prowess. His experience over the years has helped his game awareness and leadership. Currently, he is the second-most successful skipper in the league. His calm temperament (he would have got angry at his teammates just a handful of times in 10 editions), combined with a few words in Hindi along with a pat to a defender who has made a mistake, or a raider going in to raid, has made the ‘Sultan’ a favourite among players, fans and pundits alike.

The 32-year-old has won two titles, apart from some commendable performances otherwise. Let us now have a look at the journey of a man, who despite being an overseas player, has become a household name in India.

Season 11 (Bengal Warriorz)

Fazel Atrachali found himself in a star-studded Bengal Warriorz team, comprising the likes of Maninder Singh, Nitesh Kumar and Nitin Dhankar, for the 11th season. While he has had much better performances, his numbers weren’t too bad this time too, considering the lack of support. The Iran national team skipper scored a total of 59 tackle points, at a success rate of 50%.

The Warriorz though had a below-par season. They finished 10th on the table, with just five wins in 22 matches.

Also Read: Top three captains with most wins in PKL history

Season 10 (Gujarat Giants)

Fazel did a decent job on his homecoming to Gujarat Giants. He notched up a total of 62 tackle points in 23 matches, at a rate of 48%. More importantly, he was successful in shepherding a side full of youngsters to the playoffs. The team finished occupied the fifth spot at the end of the league stage but were hammered by the Haryana Steelers in the Eliminator.

Season 9 (Puneri Paltan)

After three seasons with U Mumba, the four-time Asian Games medallist was picked up by their neighbours Puneri Paltan. His numbers weren’t great, but that was because his primary focus was to stay on the mat. Fazel secured a total of 56 tackle points in 21 matches, at a tackle strike rate of 50%.

However, he was successful in leading a young Puneri Paltan team, which lost Aslam Inamdar and Mohit Goyat to injury, to the final. The Paltan finished second on the table but heartbreakingly lost 29-33 to the Jaipur Pink Panthers in the final.

Also Read: PKL: Top 3 defenders fastest to reach 300 tackle points in Pro Kabaddi League

Season 8 (U Mumba)

One of the many instances where he was handed over the reins, to lead a young squad, Fazel had a nightmarish season with U Mumba. He could score just 51 tackle points in 22 matches, at a rate of 41%, as his primary focus here too was to not be sent onto the bench. The Mumbai-based franchisee struggled for form too, winning just seven out of their twenty-two games to finish tenth on the table.

Season 7 (U Mumba)

The Iranian legend followed up his heroics from the previous edition, with a performance nearly equally good. With a cumulative total of 82 tackle points in 24 matches, at a tackle strike rate of 57%, he got the ‘Best Defender’ award for the second time. The season two champions put on a strong performance ending up at fourth place on the table. Their title march came to a halt though, as the Bengal Warriors secured a narrow 37-35 victory against them in the semi-final.

Season 6 (U Mumba)

Fazel was back to where it all started, when he was picked up U Mumba, at a whopping price of Rs. 1 Cr, making him the most expensive overseas player at that time. This was also the first season, where he was made the full-time captain, marking the start of a glorious chapter. The left corner, who was part of Iran’s silver medal winning outfit at the Kabaddi World Cup 2016, took to captaincy in the PKL like fish to water.

He secured a total of 83 tackle points in 23 matches at a whopping success rate of 62%- his best ever season till date. With debutant Siddharth Desai breaking records every other day, Mumba finished second in their group. The UP Yoddhas ended their dream in the playoffs, defeating the team in the Eliminator.

Season 5 (Gujarat Fortunegiants)

The Iranian played for a third team in as many seasons. The newly formed Gujarat Fortunegiants (now Gujarat Giants) roped him in. Fazel scored 57 tackle points in total, in 24 matches, at a strike rate of 55%. He also got his first whiff of captaincy, taking over from the original skipper Sukesh Hegde in the second half of the season.

It was a dream beginning for the team, as they finished at the top of their group. They further progressed to the final but were drubbed by the Patna Pirates.

Also Read: Fazel Atrachali becomes first player to score 500 tackle points in Pro Kabaddi history

Season 4 (Patna Pirates)

After enjoying a lot of success in his first two seasons with U Mumba, Fazel moved to the Patna Pirates. The story just got better for him, as he finished as the best defender of the season. With 52 tackle points in 16 matches at a strike rate of 63%, the left corner played a big role in helping the Pirates win their second successive title. The team finished at the top of the table and ultimately, in the summit clashed, convincingly defeated the Jaipur Pink Panthers 37-29.

Season 3 (U Mumba)

After showing glimpses of his potential in his debut season, he actually announced his arrival in PKL 3. Since Surender Nada was the first choice left corner, Fazel got to play just 11 matches. However, he set the mat on fire in his limited opportunities, scoring 33 tackle points at a mind-boggling success rate of 70%. He made his name in a team comprising some of the biggest players of the generation. U Mumba finished at the top of the table but suffered a heartbreaking 28-31 loss in the final.

Season 2 (U Mumba)

With Nada present in the squad, Fazel Atrachali barely got a chance throughout the season. He featured in a total of five matches, managing a total of 12 points. Nevertheless, he did show glimpses of his potential, as an epic journey began for a future ‘GOAT’. With the side having qualified, the Iranian featured in the starting VII in the last two league matches, where he scored six and three tackle points respectively.

Mumba, the runners-up from the previous edition, were the best team by far. They comfortably ended at the top spot on the points table, before getting past the Bengaluru Bulls 36-30 in the final.

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