Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) 2021-22 was one of the most competitive seasons in the history of the event. With many twists and turns in PKL Season 8, it took till the last matchday of the league stage to establish the top six teams that qualified for the playoffs.
Following 132 matches in 60 consecutive matchdays, the league stage of PKL 8 drew to a close. The six teams that progressed to the playoffs were – Patna Pirates, Dabang Delhi K.C, U.P Yoddha, Gujarat Giants, Bengaluru Bulls and Puneri Paltan. Patna Pirates will be up against Dabang Delhi K.C. in PKL 8 final.
TIP A name to remember: Gujarat Giants’ 19-year-old raider Rakesh Sungroya, who came into the PKL 8 as an unknown entity, has emerged as one of the promising players in the tournament and the best for his side.
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Patna Pirates to play Dabang Delhi in PKL 8 final
Three-time champions Patna Pirates decimated U.P. Yoddha 38-27 in the first semi-final to book a place in the final, their first since 2017. On the other hand, Dabang Delhi defeated Bengaluru Bulls 40-35 to make it to the final, their second consecutive appearance in the final of the PKL.
- Patna Pirates’ left corner, Mohammadreza Chiyaneh created history during the semi-final as he became the first-ever defender in the history of PKL to score ten High 5s in a single season.
No team has registered more wins than Patna Pirates this season – 16. The next best in the list is the other finalist Dabang Delhi with 12 victories.
Patna enjoy stronger head-to-head record
Patna and Delhi have faced off against each other 14 times in PKL.
Patna: Won – 7, Loss – 6, Tie – 1
Delhi: Won – 6, Loss – 7, Tie – 1
In this rivalry Patna have dominated more. Patna’s best registered score against Delhi has been 67, while Delhi’s best total against Patna has been only 45. However, in this season it was Delhi, who won both their meetings. But the two matches on both occasions were pretty close…
Patna Pirates favourites to win PKL 8
Considering the experience in the finals, Patna appear to be the favourite to turn things around in the grand finale on Friday (Feb. 24). Patna, who won the title in three consecutive seasons between 2016 and 2017, have never lost a PKL final; whereas, Delhi, who played their maiden PKL final in 2019, lost the match and title to Bengal Warriors. Patna have a balanced side with fine defense and attack and this is going to be their biggest weapon in the final.
Dabang Delhi could turn tables around in the final with their brilliant attacking skills. Their raider Naveen Kumar has been among the top four raiders in the 2021-22 season. Apart from him, they also have the talented raider Vijay, who played a key part in their journey to the final last season.
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Players to watch out for…
- Patna Pirates all-rounder Mohammadreza Chiyaneh has been one of the highlights of PKL 8. Making his debut this season, the Iranian has been the breakout star of the 2021-22 campaign.
- Dabang Delhi’s Naveen Kumar – he has done majority of the scoring for his side and is placed fourth in the list of most raid points (192 points in 16 games).
- In Sandeep Narwal, Delhi have one of the league’s most entertaining players of all time. With his all-round skills, Narwal brings in his rich experience and could be a guiding force for Delhi, who are looking for their first title.
