"I am confident that we can become champions with this team in 2-3 seasons"- Mohammadreza Shadloui makes bold prediction for Puneri Paltan
Mohammadreza Shadloui has made a bold prediction for his Pro Kabaddi team Puneri Paltan. In Shadloui's view, Paltan have the capability to become the PKL champions more than once.
Puneri Paltan won their maiden Pro Kabaddi trophy on Friday evening by defeating Haryana Steelers in the PKL 10 Final. It was the first trophy for Mohammadreza Shadloui, who won the Best Defender award as well.
Paltan played top-quality kabaddi throughout the season. Their combination of raiders, defenders, and all-rounders helped them score 96 points in the league round and then record wins in the semifinals and final.
Sharing his views on the team's performance in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Shadloui said:
"I am very happy that we have become champions. Apart from this, I am also completely satisfied with our performance. Our team is very good and all the players have performed well. The balance has also been very good and that is why I am confident that we can become champions with this team in 2-3 seasons."
Notably, Puneri Paltan signed Shadloui for ₹2.35 crore at the PKL 10 Auction, making him the most expensive foreign player in the league's history. When asked if the price tag added any pressure on him, the Iranian star replied:
"There was no price tag pressure on me. I believe that if you want a good defender, you have to pay more (laughs). Talking about the team, we are all very good friends. We are very good not only inside but also outside the court."
"We all listen to each other and also help during raiding and defense. The most important thing is that the bonding we have is very strong, the result of which can be seen on the mat," he added.
"You have to work very hard"- Mohammadreza Shadloui talks about the key to his success
Mohammadreza Shadloui has played only three seasons of PKL, and in two of them, he has taken the Best Defender award home. In the other season, he finished second even though he missed the initial matches of the tournament.
Very few defenders have performed so consistently in PKL history. Talking about his journey to the PKL and his career so far, Shadloui said:
"First of all you have to believe in yourself and if you want to become the best defender, you have to work very hard. PKL changed my life completely. Because of the league, I was able to become a professional player and now I am playing in a professional league, which is very important for me. I really like the feeling of playing on the field with the fans cheering."
While Mohammadreza Shadloui has won the Best Defender award and the PKL championship, he missed out on an all-time record this season. Had Shadloui scored two more tackle points, he could have set the record for the most tackle points in a single edition of Pro Kabaddi League.
The Iranian ended PKL 10 with 99 tackle points. He will aim to work harder and break Nitesh Kumar's record of 100 tackle points in Pro Kabaddi season 11.