PKL 11: List of all teams participating in Pro Kabaddi League season 11

Kabaddi, a word that is authentic to Indian roots has become a global phenomenon thanks to the advent of the Pro Kabaddi League in 2014 and now in a few months 11th season (PKL 11) of the league will be played. Much like the Indian Premier League did for Cricket, the PKL opened new avenues for the sport of Kabaddi. The players got the much-deserved recognition from the fans around the world. Especially in India where India has dominated the sport.

With the fans showing interest in the sport, the telecasting and advertising rights have gone up as well. A few players like Pardeep Narwal, Pawan Sehrawat, and Rahul Chaudhari became demigods as they inspired many talents from every corner of the country. The league, which has successfully completed a decade, has seen multiple champions over the years.

Patna Pirates and Jaipur Pink Panthers are the two franchises that have won multiple titles. Interestingly, the four teams were introduced during season five and all those four haven’t won a single PKL title. With the league stepping into its 11th year, let’s glance into every team that will be competing for the trophy.

#1 Bengal Warriorz

Rebranding themselves as Warriorz, the Bengal-based franchise will be one of the favorites to title this season. The season seven champions had a wonderful auction as they bolstered their defense with the addition of Fazel Atrachali, Nitesh Kumar, Vaibhav Garje, and Mayur Kadam. The attacking trio of Maninder Singh, Nitin Kumar, and Vishwas will look to make amends for their miss last season. Coached by Prasanth Surve, Bengal will be an exciting team to watch out for.

#2 Bengaluru Bulls

Bengaluru Bulls have been one of the most consistent sides in the Pro Kabaddi League, thanks to their coach Randhir Singh Sehrawat who has been with the franchise since its inception. Known for producing raiding superstars, this year they have taken back one of their products in Pardeep Narwal. The men in red have made it to the playoffs six times and lifted the trophy in season six. With a balanced squad, the team from the south will look to finish at the top.

#3 Dabang Delhi KC

A late bloomer in the league, Dabang Delhi KC has made it to the playoffs in the last five seasons having missed in the first five. The team from the nation’s capital has invested in youth and tasted extraordinary success. Led by Naveen Kumar who has been breaking record for fun. Last season saw them finish third despite losing Naveen to injury showing the depth in the squad. Probably that’s the reason they retained most of the players and also appointed their former captain Joginder Narwal as their head coach for season 11.

#4 Gujarat Giants

Gujarat Giants is one of the four franchises introduced in season five of the league. They set their foot on the pedals straight away reaching the finals in their first two editions. Much like their name, the team loves to wear the heart by their sleeves, an attitude instilled by their coaches Manpreet Singh and Ram Mehar Singh. For season 11, they have released most of their players and built a young squad. It is an opportunity for the youngsters to take them to the elusive title.

#5 Haryana Steelers

Last year’s finalists, the Haryana Steelers would want to get one better this season to lay hands on the trophy. PKL 8 and PKL 9 saw them finish at 7th position and miss out on the playoff spot. Season 10 saw them break that jinx thanks to their defense, they made it to the finals for the first time. The addition of Mohammadreza Shadloui has strengthened their defense and the Steelers coached by Manpreet Singh can lift the precious metal piece in the finals.

#6 Jaipur Pink Panthers

The inaugural champions of the PKL are never short of star power starting with their owner Abhishek Bachchan. They won the title again in season nine thanks to their star power on the mat from Arjun Deshwal and Co. With four playoffs, three finals, and two titles, the Panthers are a force to reckon with. Having retained the winning core they made some invaluable additions with the recruitment of Surjeet Singh and Vikas Kandola. They will look to add a third title this season.

#7 Patna Pirates

The most successful franchise in the history of the league, Patna Pirates won three titles consecutively from season three to five. The men in green are a regular in playoffs, having made it to the knockouts seven of the ten times. The likes of Rakesh Kumar, Pardeep Narwal, Fazel Atrachali, and Dharmaraj Cheralathan have represented the franchise in the past. This year they are coming up with many unknowns and at the end of the seasons they could be stealing the spotlight.

#8 Puneri Paltans

Puneri Paltans are the defending champions going into season 11 of PKL. Their journey last year was one of the most dominant campaigns in the league’s history. Having been part of the league since 2014, success eluded them. They started a Yuva Paltan program in 2017 to nurture talents from a young age. Stars like Aslam Inamdar, and Mohit Goyat are finds of the academy. In five years, they were able to align the stars first to reach the finals in season nine and then to the title in season 10. The men in orange are hungry for more.

#9 Tamil Thalaivas

Tamil Thalaivas, a team based out of Tamil Nadu, where the sport of Kabaddi originated hasn’t been able to succeed in the league. In the first three years, they had superstars like Ajay Thakur, Manjeet Chillar, and Jasvir Singh in the line-up yet finished last in the league. It was season eight they decided to infuse young blood with Sagar coming out as a bright spot. With the likes of Narender, Sahil Gulia, and Ajinkya Pawar they made it to the playoffs for the first time in season nine despite losing Pawan Sehrawat in the first 10 minutes of the season. Sachin Tanwar has joined them this season looking to reach new heights.

#10 Telugu Titans

Telugu Titans are the only team from the initial set of franchises from 2014 that has not won a PKL title. While they competed well in the initial years thanks to the pyrotechnics of Rahul Chaudhari, the performances faded away in the last few years having finished as wooden spooners in the last three seasons. They will look to change their fortunes this season with Indian skipper Pawan Sehrawat. Titans have firepower in defense with Krishan Dhull and Milad Jabbari. Hopefully, they will be giving something to celebrate for their fans.

#11 U Mumba

Finalist in the first year, champion in the second year, and again a finalist in the third year, U Mumba had the best possible start in the history of the league. It hasn’t gone well for the team from the west since then, as they have been inconsistent in the last few years. The season two champions have gone to the roots to build a young team. This season they have hired the cover combo of Sunil Kumar and Parvesh Bhainswal to lead the team in the season. Amirmohammad Zafardanesh and his Iranian coach Gholamreza Mazandarani will look to add flavor to the team.

#12 UP Yoddhas

Last season saw UP Yoddhas failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in their history. As a result, they have gone for an overhaul, letting go of primary raider Pardeep Narwal and defender Nitesh Kumar. The right-corner defender along with the experienced Jeeva Kumar were the backbone of the team during its initial years. But they failed to breach the finals jinx and have recruited the likes of Bharat Hooda and Bhavani Rajput to support Surender Gill & Co. in going for the title.

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