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Pro Kabaddi League's newest champions, the Bengal Warriors, will lock horns with UP Yoddha in their inaugural fixture of the Pro Kabaddi 2021 on December 22.
The Warriors emerged victorious last season on the back of a solid, balanced squad led by the indomitable Maninder Singh and the surprise package Mohammad Esmaeil Nabibakhsh. The Kolkata franchise triumphed over Dabang Delhi K.C. in the final of PKL Season 7 to clinch their first-ever championship.
Despite their title-winning campaign, the Warriors only retained four players from their PKL Season 7 squad. The two major retentions were their star raiders Maninder Singh and Mohammad Esmaeil Nabibakhsh, followed by Rinku Narwal and Ravindra Ramesh Kumawat.
At the Pro Kabaddi 2021 Auction, the Warriors bolstered their raiding unit with the signings of experienced campaigners like Sukesh Hegde and Rishank Devadiga to support their talisman Maninder Singh. Iranian powerhouse Abozar Mohajermighani was also picked up at the auction to form a stellar corner duo along with Rinku Narwal. They were one of the best defensive sides in the PKL last season, with the least all-outs inflicted on them by their opponents.
Head coach BC Ramesh will aim to continue his winning run in the Pro Kabaddi League for three seasons. He won the PKL title with the Bengaluru Bulls as an assistant coach and followed it up with the Warriors as the head coach.
Bengal Warriors' schedule for Pro Kabaddi 2021
The team from the City of Joy will play a total of 11 matches in the first half of the Pro Kabaddi 2021 season. The Warriors will play five matches in December 2021 and the remaining six in January 2022.
Here's a look at the Bengal Warriors' schedule for the first half of PKL8:
December 22: Bengal Warriors vs UP Yoddha, 9:30 PM IST
December 24: Bengal Warriors vs. Gujarat Giants, 9:30 PM IST
December 26: Bengaluru Bulls vs. Bengal Warriors, 8:30 PM IST
December 29: Dabang Delhi K.C. vs. Bengal Warriors, 7:30 PM IST
December 31: Patna Pirates vs. Bengal Warriors, 7:30 PM IST
January 3: Bengal Warriors vs. Jaipur Pink Panthers, 8:30 PM IST
January 7: Bengal Warriors vs. Haryana Steelers, 7:30 PM IST
January 9: Puneri Paltan vs. Bengal Warriors, 7:30 PM IST
January 13: Bengal Warriors vs. Tamil Thalaivas, 7:30 PM IST
January 15: U Mumba vs Bengal Warriors, 9:30 PM IST
January 17: Telugu Titans vs. Bengal Warriors, 8:30 PM IST
