Premier Badminton League is a franchise-based league which is managed and commercially owned by the Badminton Association of India. The third season of the league featuring six teams namely, Delhi Acers, Mumbai Rockets, Hyderabad Hunters, Chennai Smashers, Awadhe Warriors and Bengaluru Blasters, is ready to kick-start on 1 January, 2017.
The second season had been immensely successful. It is a platform where the best in the world compete against one another and the young Indian shuttlers get an opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the sport’s biggest names.
Alongside the top Indian shuttlers, Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth and others, the league boasts a number of world-class players from other countries. Although top shuttlers from China and Japan give it a miss as they would be busy with their respective national tournaments, other top players are featuring in the tournament.
Here are the five best foreign players on display in the Premier Badminton League season 3:
#5 Viktor Axelson
This talented young shuttler from Denmark was bought by Bengaluru Blasters for a fee of INR 39 lacs. Victor Axelson, who is ranked 4th in the world currently, recently won the bronze medal at the Rio Olympics.
He is one of the best players around the world and has won many laurels. This year he earned his first European Championship. In 2010, he burst onto the scene after winning the World Junior Championship becoming the first European to win the title.
The 22-year-old is a prized asset for any team. In the bronze medal match in Rio, he showed his character by beating Lin Dan from China 21–15, 12–21, 21–17. Fans can expect a lot of fireworks when he takes the court for his side Bengaluru Blasters this January.
#4 Jan O Jorgensen
The current world number three was roped in by defending champions Delhi Acers for a huge fee of INR 59 lacs. Jan O Jorgensen, the 28-year-old Danish player, has been in scintillating form this year.
Recently, he won the gold medal at the China Open Super Series. He is widely regarded as one of most prolific players in the world at the moment. In 2014, he won his first European Championship. The same year he became the first European male player to triumph at the Indonesian Open.
In 2015, he fell short of winning the All England Super Series as he was defeated by Chen Long from China, 21-15, 17-21, 15-21 in the final. Young Indian shuttler Siril Verma, who is his teammate in PBL 3 would look forward to playing alongside him.
#3 Tan Wee Kiong
Tan Wee Kiong is one of the best doubles players right now. This 27-year-old Malaysian star was landed by the Hyderabad Hunters for a fee of INR 33 lacs. He will look to form a formidable partnership with Chai Hoi Wah for the Hunters.
Partnering Goh V Shem, he has gone on to win a lot of tournaments including the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The pair also won the bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Games. At the 2016 Olympics, he claimed the silver medal in the doubles event.
Recently in October he won his first Super Series title with Goh when he lifted the 2016 Denmark Open. Indians can surely hope for some amazing performances from the world number one doubles player.
#2 Lee Yong Dae
The former professional shuttler from South Korea, who retired after winning the Korean Super Series mixed doubles a month back, will be back in the circuit in PBL 2. He was bought by Mumbai Rockets for a fee of INR 37.5 lacs.
Widely considered as one the greatest doubles players of all time, Lee, has been hugely successful both in doubles and mixed doubles. He was at the top of the ranking charts in men’s doubles for 104 consecutive weeks, an incredible feat.
In all, he is probably the most successful player in PBL, having won 43 Super Series titles. 37 of his Super Series titles were in the men’s doubles discipline, the highest of any doubles player in one discipline. He is one of the best foreign players at the PBL this year.
#1 Carolina Marin
Every Indian knows this certain badminton player from Spain. Carolina Marin became a household name in India after overcoming PV Sindhu’s challenge in the final of the women’s singles in the Rio Olympics. She was roped in by Hyderabad Hunters who paid INR 61.5 lacs, the highest fee for a player at the auction.
The two-time World Champion is probably the best in women’s singles badminton as she has proved time and again. She is only 23 years of age and has already achieved so much.
She is the first Spaniard and the youngest ever European world champion in 2014 when she defeated Li Xuerui from China in the BWF World Championships singles final. Fans in India will be looking forward to watching her play and hope that Sindhu can take her revenge.
