Ninth-placed Haryana Steelers are up against tenth-placed Puneri Paltan in Match No.64 of the Pro Kabaddi League Season 8 at the Sheraton Grand Hotel and Convention Centre in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
This game is going to be a crucial one for both sides as they find themselves in the bottom half of the points table. Haryana Steelers have just a solitary win in their last five PKL 8 matches and have managed to win only three out of their ten games so far gathering 24 points to their name.
On the other hand, Puneri Paltan has also struggled for most of the season having failed to start well. They have three wins in their last six matches and the likes of Nitin Tomar and Vishal Bhardwaj have put up good performances but have not been consistent throughout.
How have they done so far?
Haryana Steelers did not have a good start as they lost 39-42 in a close first match against Patna Pirates. Rohit Gulia and Vikash Kandola have scored the majority of their points but they could not hold on to their nerves in the final minutes of the match.
They suffered another close defeat at the hands of Jaipur Pink Panthers before finally beating Telugu Titans 39-37 to register their first win of the season courtesy of Meetu Mahender, who picked up 12 points in the match. Haryana has two defeats and a draw in their last three games and is under pressure.
Puneri Paltan, on the other hand, opened their campaign with an 11-point loss at the hands of Dabang Delhi. They registered their first win in their very next match against Telugu Titans but have failed to remain consistent. Puneri Paltan has four wins and six losses from ten games and suffered a 40-50 defeat at the hands of UP Yoddha last time out. Mohit Goyat with 13 points and Aslam Inamdar with 16 points continued to impress despite the defeat.
Head to Head record
The Steelers and Paltan have faced each other in eight fixtures so far. Haryana has managed to win only three games while the Pune-based team has beaten them five times. Thus, Paltan has had the better of their opponents so far.
Key Players
Vikash Kandola will have to shoulder the responsibility for Haryana Steelers
Vikash Kandola: Vikash Kandola has been the best raider for Haryana Steelers this season with 80 raid points from ten appearances. He also stands sixth on the list of raiders with most points this season and will be expected to fire as his side looks to gain momentum.
Vishal Bhardwaj: Vishal Bhardwaj has been a household name when it comes to defenders. With 22 tackle points, he is Puneri Paltan’s best defender this season, also having picked up a high-five. The Paltan’s skipper will have to be at his best against the likes of Meetu, Rohit and Vikash, who are Haryana’s top raiders this season.
Predicted Starting 7’s
Haryana Steelers: Ashish, Vikash Kandola, Ravi Kumar, Surender Nada, Meetu Mahender, Jaideep Kuldeep, Mohit.
Puneri Paltan: Mohit Goyat, Nitin Tomar, Abinesh Nadarajan, Baldev Singh, Sanket Sawant, Vishal Bhardwaj, Aslam Inamdar.
Prediction
Puneri Paltan are the better of the two sides and have a strong raiding unit with the likes of Mohit and Aslam. Despite their recent loss against UP Yoddha, they have two wins from their last three games and momentum on their side. Haryana Steelers are dependent on Vikash Kandola and if Puneri’s defense can keep him quiet, they are most likely to win this match.