PKL 11: I failed in my auction decisions, says Bengaluru Bulls coach Randhir Singh

Bengaluru Bulls were the first team to be eliminated from the PKL 11 playoff race.

UP Yoddhas claimed a crucial 44-30 victory over Bengaluru Bulls in the penultimate Pro Kabaddi 2024 (PKL 11) League match that not only secured third place in the PKL 11 standings but also saw Pardeep Narwal’s historic milestone of 1,800 raid points.

Bulls’ captain Pardeep Narwal and Nitin Rawal and coach addressed the media after their loss, while UP’s Mahender and coach shared their views on the team’s win in PKL 11.

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

On Bengaluru Bulls’ PKL 11 campaign

The first half was a closely fought contest, with Bengaluru Bulls holding a narrow 19-18 lead at halftime. They had initially surged ahead with an 11-3 advantage, thanks to Sushil’s aggressive raids and sharp defensive work, inflicting the first ALL OUT of the game.

“All I can say, is it has been 11 seasons for me in PKL and I have never finished at the last spot, I might have missed the qualification for a point or so but I have never finished at the bottom.,” said coach Randhir Singh Sehrawat.

“Whether I stay with this team or not, all I wanna say is that up and down is a part of life. I don’t give up and I accept challenges. It has been so many seasons and I have seen both sides, but what I am sad about is how badly we played, ” he added.

On the players and their performance in PKL 11

However, UP Yoddhas responded strongly, with their own ALL OUT closing the gap and setting up a tense battle. Pardeep Narwal’s landmark raid, earning his 1,800th PKL point, proved to be the turning point.

“I had taken up Jai Bhagwan who is one of the best raiders in India, but I was not successful. Jai, and Ajinkya Pawar, didn’t even give 25% of what they were capable of. Pardeep took 110-115 points and I am very happy that he completed 1800 points, ” said the coach

“As for Nitin, he could have done very well today but he got an injury last time so I didn’t wanna take risk. If the team had lost after playing well then I would not have had any problem. The only time I had lost by this huge margin was against Jaipur Pink Panthers, ” he added.

“I was not angry when I came here after losing four-five matches, I knew at that time only that the team is not playing up to their talent. Other than this season, it has never happened that I have not given a kabaddi star, that is why they call me star maker, ” he added.

On UP Yoddhas’ playoff plan

In the second half, UP Yoddhas took control. Shivam Chaudhary led the charge with brilliant raids, while Sahul Kumar and Gangaram anchored a solid defence. The team inflicted another ALL OUT at the 31-minute mark to build a decisive lead. Despite the Bulls’ best efforts, the Yoddhas extended their dominance in the final stages, sealing a comprehensive 14-point win in this PKL 11 clash.

“We had a good start, but we faded but the team has got on the good momentum at the right moment, so we want to continue. What gave us confidence that we have the bench strength as well, ” said UP Yoddhas coach.

The result sets up an Eliminator 1 clash for the Yoddhas against the sixth-placed team, while Patna Pirates finished fourth in the table.

“With the win our confidence is on a high and going ahead the coach will make the plan for the playoffs and we will play accordingly, ” concluded Mahender.

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.