Pro Kabaddi 2024, Tamil Thalaivas vs UP Yoddhas: 3 Player battles to watch out for
The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 11’s match No. 69 will see a battle between the Tamil Thalaivas and the UP Yoddhas. The two teams are scheduled to be on the mat at 8 PM in the Noida Indoor Stadium, and fans can expect an exciting contest.
The Thaialvas and the Yoddhas have both seen a mixed bag of results this year and currently sit right beside each other on the points table. The former are ranked eighth, while the Yoddhas are ninth.
The Tamil Thalaivas began their season on a winning note and looked like a threat when they took down defending champions Pune in their second match. However that form has since deserted them, and they walk into tonight's battle having lost five out of their last six matches.
On the other hand, the UP Yoddhas have also run hot and cold this season, having lost four of the ten matches they've played this season. Their last outing took place earlier this week when they faced the Puneri Paltan in a high-stakes battle that ended in a tie.
On that note, here are three player battles you need to watch out for in tonight's encounter.
#1 Vishal Chahal vs Sumit
Vishal Chahal made his PKL debut with the Tamil Thalaivas last season, and he's been slowly building on his skills this year. The youngster played 10 matches in his debut season, collecting 35 points. In Season 11, Chahal has made six appearances so far and has already accumulated 21 points, with a strike rate of 39%.
Keeping the right raider in check tonight will be the Up Yoddhas’ Sumit Sangawan. The left corner is playing his fifth season for the team and has been a crucial part of their defense, picking 35 points in his ten matches, with a tackle success rate of 55%.
#2 Narender Kandola vs Hitesh
Narender Kandola has been yet another impressive force for the Tamil Thalaivas. He's been on the mat for all of the team's matches also far and has racked up a whopping 80 points with a raid strike rate of 44%. This has made him the 10th-most successful raider of the league this season,
On the other end, making Kandola put in some work tonight will be the UP Yoddhas’ Hitesh. The right corner is playing his second season with the side and has been phenomenal this year. He's picked up 23 points in 10 matches, including five Super Tackles and two High 5s.
#3 Bhavani Rajput vs Nitesh Kumar
For the UP Yoddhas, Bhavani Rajput has proven to be an incredible asset on the attacking front. The youngster is playing his first season with the team and has already claimed 49 points in his nine outings on the mat. Rajput has been in great form recently picking up 10 and 12 points in the Yoddhas' clashes against the Puneri Paltan and Telugu Titans, respectively.
Giving the raider a run for his money tonight will be Nitesh Kumar. Last year, the left corner made his PKL debut with the Thaialvas, playing nine matches and scoring four points. He's improved drastically this year and already has 37 points to his name after the 11 matches he's played so far, combined with a tackle strike rate of 67%.