"Most of the fans will support us during the playoffs" - Jaipur Pink Panthers captain Sunil Kumar
The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 10 playoffs are just ten days away, with five teams having already sealed their spots. Puneri Paltan, Jaipur Pink Panthers, Dabang Delhi, Patna Pirates, and Gujarat Giants have all qualified for the crucial stage of the tournament.
Haryana Steelers need just one more win to become the sixth team to go through, with their home leg beginning in Panchkula on Friday, February 16.
Ahead of the Haryana leg and the playoffs, which will be played in Hyderabad, captains of Jaipur, Dabang Delhi and Puneri Paltan put across their thoughts.
Jaipur Pink Panthers' captain Sunil Kumar acknowledged the craze of kabaddi fans in Hyderabad. He also expressed their excitement about playing in front of the Hyderabad crowd.
"The fans in Hyderabad support us a lot. Rahul Chaudhari, who is the poster boy of the Pro Kabaddi League, has the most fan-following in Hyderabad. I think most of the fans will support us during the playoffs. We are excited to play the playoffs in Hyderabad," he said (via ANI).
"We will work hard during the week-long break" - Ashu Malik ahead of PKL 10 Playoffs
Dabang Delhi play their final league stage game against the Bengaluru Bulls in Panchkula. They will have a week's break before their PKL 10 playoff fixture. Dabang Delhi skipper Ashu Malik said that they will try and make the most of the break.
"We will work hard during the week-long break that we have before our playoff match. The coach surely has a training routine in mind for us and we will work according to that so that we can perform at our best in those important matches," he said.
Meanwhile, Puneri Paltan's captain Aslam Inamdar stated that the break between their last league stage game and the semi-final will allow their players to recover from injuries.
"The long gap between our last league match and the semi-finals will give us the time to practice hard and devise our strategies. All the players will have the time to relax and be fully fit for the semis. We'll also correct the mistakes we've made in our recent matches and play our best combination on the mat," Inamdar stated.
The Paltan captain also went on to talk about the extra pressure that the playoff matches bring.
"There's certainly more pressure in knockout matches. We've to handle the pressure well. We played the semis and the final last season. You always have a chance to come back from a loss during the league stage, but you can't do that in knockout games," he added.
Puneri Paltan and Jaipur Pink Panthers have confirmed themselves as the top two teams in the PKL 10 table. Dabang Delhi, Patna Pirates, and Gujarat Giants are placed third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.