PKL 11: Key battles to watch out for in match 27, Patna Pirates vs Dabang Delhi

Both teams are coming after close defeats in their previous matches.

The Patna Pirates are set to take on Dabang Delhi KC in the 27th match of the Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 (PKL 11) at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad. The two sides have an interesting rivalry, with Delhi having secured a one-point victory over Patna in the final of season 8. The two also had faced off in the Eliminator last season, with the three-time champions coming off with a two-point victory.

The Patna Pirates have won one match and lost two matches till now. After making a comeback for the ages against the Tamil Thalaivas, they heartbreakingly lost 26-28 against the Telugu Titans in PKL 11. It must be said though, that the Men in Green have shown a lot of spunk despite having a young side.

Make your predictions on Kabaddi and win big on Stake! Click here to join the Kabaddi contest.

On the other hand, Dabang Delhi have played five matches in PKL 11- winning two and losing the remaining. They have lost their last two matches: against the Haryana Steelers (41-34) and the Bengaluru Bulls (34-33). Against the Bulls, they were in a very dominant position and were looking set for a comfortable victory. However, the absence of star raider Naveen Kumar (who got injured in the match against the Steelers) hurt them dearly, as they succumbed to a narrow defeat.

As the two sides take on each other, trying to get back to winning ways in PKL 11 quickly, here are three battles that could play a key role in deciding which way the match eventually sways.

Ashu Malik vs Ankit Jaglan

Ashu Malik has been the best raider for Delhi in PKL 11, while Ankit has been the best defender for Patna. With one being a right raider and the other, the left corner, the two will be coming up against each other several times.

Ashu, who was joint top in the list of most raid points last season, has started off from where he left off. He has already scored 55 raid points in 5 matches, with four Super 10s.

He will however face a formidable challenge in the form of Ankit. The left corner had a stunning debut season in PKL 10 and has continued that form. He has already scored 11 tackle points in 3 matches in PKL 11.

Another interesting point to look out for is if Ashu will manage to get bonus points with the same ease he is used to.

Devank Dalal vs Rinku Narwal

There were eyebrows raised when Devank Dalal was played ahead of the likes of Sudhakar and Jang Kun Lee in the starting VII. As we enter the fourth match, he has already established himself as the strike-raider of the side.

After scoring 6 raid points against a marauding Puneri Paltan defence, he set fire to the mat against the Thalaivas. He scored a mind-boggling total of 25 raid points, as the Pirates came back from dire straits to clinch their first win of the season. Devank followed it up with 7 raid points in the clash against the Titans.

He will come face-to-face with an experienced left corner in the form of Rinku Narwal. After playing a huge role in leading the Bengal Warriorz to their first-ever title in season 7, he struggled in the next two seasons and didn’t find any takers for the previous edition. Having been picked up by Delhi this time, Rinku would want to repay the faith.

He got his first start against the Bulls, in place of Ashish and got two tackle points, including an outrageous tackle near the midline. Coach Joginder Narwal would be hoping that the left corner will successfully quell the threat of Devank.

Ayan vs Yogesh Dahiya

Left raider Ayan has had a decent start to his maiden PKL season. Playing second fiddle to the likes of Devank and Sandeep Kumar at the Pirates, he has scored 11 raid points in 3 matches, which includes 6 in the last match against the Titans. Using his height and reach to his advantage, he can be a handful on any given day.

However, he will be up against the player who was awarded the ‘Emerging Player of the Season’ in PKL 10: Yogesh Dahiya. The right corner had scored 77 tackle points in 23 matches, last time. This season he has scored only 5 tackle points in 4 matches and was benched for the game against the Bulls.

Coach Joginder would be looking to unleash Yogesh again, considering the break would have allowed the defender to refresh himself. He would be hoping that he can regain his form from the previous season and use his experience against the debutant Ayan.

Make your predictions on Kabaddi and win big on Stake! Click here to join the Kabaddi contest.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Kabaddi on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.