PKL 11 Eliminator 1: Key player battles to watch out for in, UP Yoddhas vs Jaipur Pink Panthers

The winner of the PKL 11 Eliminator 1 will face Haryana Steelers in the semis.

UP Yoddhas will face Jaipur Pink Panthers in Eliminator 1 of the Pro Kabaddi 2024 (PKL 11) on Thursday, December 26. The match will be played at Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi, Pune. The winner will advance into the Semi-Final 1 to face the table toppers, Haryana Steelers.

These teams have walked neck-to-neck this season in PKL 11. The Pink Panthers and the Yoddhas had two close contests this season where each won a game. The Pink Panthers defeated UP Yoddhas by 33-30 in the first match, whereas UP Yoddhas took revenge and defeated the Pink Panthers by 33-29 in the round-robin.

Jaipur Pink Panthers and UP Yoddhas are defence-oriented teams. Although they have solid raiders on their sides, the direction of the match is decided by how the defenders perform. The league matches happened that way and we would expect the same to happen in the Eliminator as well. Looking at their previous records this season, these are going to be the key battles which will anchor the team’s performance.

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Arjun Deshwal vs Sumit Sangwan

Arjun Deshwal is the backbone of Jaipur Pink Panthers, making this battle the most crucial one. Deshwal has picked 225 raid points this season and has contributed more than 50% of the team’s raid points in PKL 11. In both the league matches, Sumit and company could restrict Deshwal with minimum raid points. The Pink Panthers’ captain could score just 10 raid points in 2 matches. On the other hand, Sumit has 10 tackle points in 2 matches. This stat shows how Sumit has dominated over Arjun Deshwal this season.

If Sumit and Hitesh can repeat what they performed as the two corners of the Yoddhas’ defence, they will count their chances much higher in this Eliminator.

Bhavani Rajput vs Reza Mirbagheri

Bhavani Rajput has been the main raider for the UP Yoddhas this season. He has scored 135 raid points in 20 outings. Rajput has found his form as the season grew and in the last leg of the season, he seemed to have found his rhythm.

Although the Pink Panthers’ defence made his life difficult in their first meeting, Rajput could sneak in 8 raid points in their second match. For the Pink Panthers, it would be the Iranian, Reza Mirbagheri, who will have the responsibility to restrict Rajput. Mirbagheri scored 7 tackle points in two matches in PKL 11, including a High-5, and would be a threat to the Yoddhas’ in-form raiders in this upcoming battle.

Gagan Gowda vs Ankush Rathee

Gagan Gowda has been another stellar raider from UP Yoddhas who has left a phenomenal impression this year in PKL 11. Gowda has got 130 raid points in 16 matches and can dominate the opponents on any good day. He has also found his form and has been playing a crucial role in the unbeaten streak of the Yoddhas. Ankush Rathee will be a big challenge that Gowda will have to face in the Eliminator.

Rathee turned out to be one of the best left corners this season with 67 tackle points under his name. His ankle holds have been lethal and for a player like Gowda who loves to sneak in bonus points, Rathee’s ankle holds will come in handy. If the Pink Panthers’ left corner is able to restrict Gowda, it can be a crucial contribution to his team.

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