Jaipur keen to end 8-yr wait; Puneri targets maiden Pro Kabaddi title

MUMBAI: Jaipur Pink Panthers will be yearning to end an eight-year wait while Puneri Paltan will be determined to inscribe its name on the sparkling Pro Kabaddi League trophy for the first time when they clash in the Season 9 final here on Saturday.

At the Dome, NSCI SVP Stadium, in 2014, Jaipur was crowned as the inaugural Pro Kabaddi champion, an achievement it can brag about any time. But, Pink Panthers, whose immaculate consistency this season has brought it to the summit contest, will not rest on past laurels when it takes the mat at the same venue on Saturday.

Standing between Jaipur and a second PKL title is Puneri, which will aim to become the seventh different team to win the League. For Paltan, the youngest team of the ninth edition, boys have turned men and steered the side into the title decider despite quite a few injury setbacks through the course of the season.

Jaipur and Puneri head into the final on the back of contrasting victories. While Pink Panthers registered a stroll-in-the-park 49-29 win over Bengaluru Bulls in the first semi-final here on Thursday, Paltan came from behind to pip Tamil Thalaivas 39-37 in the other last-four match. PP may have the psychological advantage, having beaten JPP twice in the PKL 9 league stage, but form and records go out of the window for an all-or-nothing match.

Speaking after the thrilling victory over Thalaivas, Puneri captain and left corner Fazel Atrachali, who has led the team remarkably well being the most experienced member of the pack, exuded confidence. “I have motivated the players throughout the season. I will have to do it for one more hour [in the final]. We have very good players in our squad. I will tell them to play freely; I will tell them that I am there to support them,” said Fazel.

On his part, Jaipur skipper and cover defender Sunil Kumar emphasised that he would look to “control” the team by remaining active for large chunks of the match. “My job is to stay on the mat. I have been trying to do that since the first game,” Sunil said.

Battle between Pink Panthers defence and Paltan raiders

The tussle between Jaipur’s famed defence and Paltan’s raiding trio would be one to watch out for. Pink Panthers has built a wall that is extremely difficult to breach, with three of its defenders – Ankush (86 points), Sunil (59 points) and Sahul (53 points) – already racking up more than 50 tackle points this edition.

In the absence of injured raiders Aslam Inamdar and Mohit Goyat, the triumvirate of Akash Shinde, Pankaj Mohite and Mohammad Nabibakhsh have done enough to get Puneri to where it is at. With the top-two teams at the conclusion of the double round-robin stage still in the hunt, a fitting finale is on the cards. So, fasten your seatbelts.