Pro Kabaddi | Bengaluru Bulls look to secure top position; Haryana Steelers and Puneri Paltan look for second win

ByPress Release, SportsCafe Editor

01/02/2022

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The double-header on Sunday night in vivo Pro Kabaddi promises to produce some fireworks. The Gujarat Giants and Haryana Steelers will commence proceedings in the first game, and later, Bengaluru Bulls will look to extend their unbeaten run to five when they take on the struggling Puneri Paltan.

Gujarat Giants vs Haryana Steelers

The Gujarat Giants have had a decent start to their campaign and currently sit just outside the top six on the points table, having played a game fewer than all but one team above them. Coach Manpreet Singh’s men have been tough to beat, but they have struggled to close out games, which has resulted in two of their four games finishing in ties. If the Giants figure a way to convert these close games into victories, they will quickly find themselves near the top of the league table.

The Haryana Steelers’ rough start to the season continued in their last game, as they succumbed to a 42-28 loss against the Bengaluru Bulls. They sit 11th on the table, having won just one of their four matches so far. The raiding unit has been inconsistent, with youngster Meetu Mahender being the only bright spot, while the defence, outside veteran Left Corner Surender Nada, has been subpar. The Steelers have the talent but haven’t found the chemistry to win games. They need to develop it soon and suspend their freefall on the points table.

Haryana Steelers have beaten the Gujarat Giants five times and have lost just twice against them in vivo PKL. One game between the two sides has finished in a tie.

Puneri Paltan vs Bengaluru Bulls

Yesterday’s results meant that the Puneri Paltan slipped to the bottom of the points table, having taken just five points in four games so far. Coach Anup Kumar’s side has struggled for consistency on both sides of the mat. The defence has been easy to score against, while the raiding unit hasn’t provided the impetus the team needs to win games. The Paltan have some big names and exciting youngsters on their roster, but they need to start delivering soon for their side.

The Bengaluru Bulls sit second on the points table, just three points behind league-leaders Dabang Delhi K.C. They played on the back foot for most of the game against the Telugu Titans last night and even found themselves down three points with under a minute left. However, they still managed to pull out a tie, showcasing how difficult it is to beat them. They would aim to get back to winning ways and climb to the summit of the standings, at least temporarily, with victory on Sunday.

The Puneri Paltan and Bengaluru Bulls have battled 12 times in vivo PKL. The Paltan hold a 7-5 lead in their all-time head-to-head matches.