"Team's morale is high right now" - Dabang Delhi KC star Ashu Malik expresses confidence ahead of their next game against Bengaluru Bulls
Dabang Delhi KC raider Ashu Malik has shown confidence ahead of their upcoming Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) clash. The Delhi-based side will take on the Bengaluru Bulls in Match No. 58 on Saturday (November 16).
The Dabang Delhi KC had an indifferent start to their campaign in this year’s PKL but they’ve managed to turn around their fortunes in the last few games with strong performances. At the heart of their resurgence in the Noida leg has been their prolific raider Malik, who recently became the first raider to complete 100 raid points in this year’s PKL.
Ashu Malik, for one, seemed upbeat about the encounter. In an interview with Sportskeeda, he said:
“The Team’s morale is high right now and we’ve been in great form for the last three matches. All 12 teams are evenly matched and anyone can defeat anyone. You’ve seen matches where teams at the bottom of the table have beaten those at the top. So I am glad that we are still in the mix.”
Talking about the challenges of dealing with expectations, the dynamic raider set aside the impact of pressure and said:
“Pressure is nothing but talk, I enter matches completely fresh minded.”
Delhi’s confidence also comes from the fact that they managed to steal a tie from the jaws of a certain defeat in their previous encounter against the Puneri Paltan where they stole 15 points in the final 10 minutes. Praising the team’s effort in the final moments of the game, Malik said:
“Initially, their defense put pressure on us but we knew we had to break their lead. We tried that in every raid."
“The practice in the camp has been excellent, and the coach has helped improve many skills” - Ashu Malik on coach Joginder Narwal’s role in his success in PKL 11
The youngster from Sonepat, Haryana, has credited the head coach, Joginder Narwal, for his improvement in this season. He alluded to the intensive training program set by the management and counted it as one of the reasons for his skill development. He said in the same interview:
“The Practice in the camp has been excellent, and the coach has helped improve many skills”
Coach Narwal, who has also played with several of the Dabang Delhi players in the past has understood the mindset in the camp well and it has contributed further to the success of the Dabang Delhi. In this regard, Ashu remarked:
“He has played several PKL seasons himself and except for the new players, he has played alongside most of our young players. He knows each player’s weaknesses and techniques."