After five weeks of exhilarating Pro Kabaddi League entertainment, the non-stop action continues for fans as the competition moves into its sixth week in Bengaluru.
Despite suffering a defeat in Week 5, Dabang Delhi continues to stay at the top of the table with 43 points from 12 points. They are closely followed by Bengaluru Bulls and Patna Pirates, who have 41 and 40 points from 12 and 11 matches respectively.
Here are five things to watch out for in Week 6 of the PKL 2021-22 action.
#5 U.P. Yoddha eager to extend their unbeaten streak
U.P. Yoddha has been on a purple patch lately, staying unbeaten in their last five matches and winning four out of those five encounters. Due credit should be given to their defenders as they were responsible for 65 tackle points in those five games.
The Yoddhas will clash swords with Haryana Steelers, Jaipur Pink Panthers, and Telugu Titans this week. Having lost to Jaipur and shared the spoils with Haryana earlier, the Pardeep Narwal-led side will look forward to exacting revenge and continuing their upsurge.
#4 Dabang Delhi faces an uphill challenge to maintain their status quo
Dabang Delhi is in a spot of bother and are in danger of losing their coveted top spot. In their last five matches, they have collected only 57 raid points while their defenders have gathered 45 tackle points.
Moreover, Delhi has little time to pick themselves up as they face three opponents – Puneri Paltan, Bengaluru Bulls, and Gujarat Giants – this week. While the Paltans and Giants are in the lower half of the table, the Bulls are breathing just below their necks and even thrash the Delhi-based franchise 61-22 to register their biggest win of the season.
#3 Telugu Titans hoping to make the most after tasting their first victory
Telugu Titans defenders in action
Staying winless in their first 10 encounters of the PKL season, Telugu Titans got their big break when they beat Jaipur Pink Panthers by a slender one-point margin. However, they suffered a seven-point defeat at the hands of U Mumba in their next match.
The Titans will square off against two defensively astute teams in the form of Patna Pirates and UP Yoddha, hoping to grab as many points as possible.
The Titans average the fourth-highest raid points per match while the Pirates occupy pole position on the leaderboard in terms of average tackle points scored. The Deccan side averages third from bottom in terms of scoring average tackle points while Yoddhas has 19.67 raid points per game.
The Telugu Titans will have their task cut out on both sides of the mat in the next two matches.
#2 Bengaluru Bulls get another opportunity to climb to the summit
The Bengaluru Bulls had a golden opportunity to climb to the top of the table in Week 5 but lost 35-37 to eleventh-placed Puneri Paltan in their previous fixture. However, they have got another bite at the cherry as they face Gujarat Giants next, whom they have defeated a week prior.
Their next opponent Delhi, too, are on a cold streak as they have their own share of problems. The Bulls have lost all three of their previous encounters but can make a good comeback as their next two opponents are not at their best form either.
#1 U Mumba aim to convert draws into victories
U Mumba captain ‘Sultan’ Fazel Atrachali
One team that has found themselves tumbling at the halfway mark is U Mumba. Winning just two matches in their previous eight contests and sharing the spoils four times during the same period, the Mumbai-based side will be aiming to collect all five points from their next two encounters.
Coincidentally, U Mumba shared the spoils with both their next week opponents – Haryana Steelers and Tamil Thalaivas earlier in the competition. V Ajith Kumar made a mistake in his calculation and was forced to concede a point in his buzzer Do-or-Die raid against the Thalaivas.
Their match against the Steelers, on the other hand, ended in a tie after last man Abhishek Singh decided against attempting a touch in the buzzer raid. With the competition nearing its business end and a spot in the playoffs not confirmed yet, don’t be surprised if U Mumba shed their risk-averse nature against the same opponents this time.