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Dabang Delhi emerged as champions of the eighth season of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). Under the leadership of the veteran defender Joginder Narwal, Delhi lifted their maiden PKL Trophy, courtesy of a nail-biting victory against the Patna Pirates.
It was a fitting encounter for a final, with the scorecard reading 37-36 in favor of Dabang Delhi at the blow of the final whistle.
Naveen Kumar and Vijay Malik were the stars of the show for Delhi. Naveen picked up 13 points while Vijay complemented him well with 14 points to his name. With 207 raid points, Naveen also finished the tournament as the fourth-best raider.
It was a heartbreak for the Pirates at the Sheraton Grand in Bengaluru. They fell agonizingly short of what would have been a record fourth PKL title for them. The Pirates topped the table after the league stage, however, they failed to win the final in the end.
Dabang Delhi were placed second on the points table after the completion of the league stage. They managed to win 12 games, lost six, and tied four matches, accumulating 75 points from 22 matches.
Delhi went on to beat the Bengaluru Bulls by five points in the second semi-final to seal their spot in the summit clash. Naveen top-scored for Dabang Delhi with 14 points.
The Delhi-based franchise came close to winning their maiden PKL title in Season 7. However, they ended up losing the final to the Bengal Warriors. Making their second consecutive final in Season 8, they managed to go the distance, beating the most successful Pro Kabaddi team in the final.
Which teams have won the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) so far?
Jaipur Pink Panthers won the inaugural edition of the Pro Kabaddi League back in 2014. The second season in 2015 was won by U Mumba. Patna Pirates emerged victorious in the third edition of the league. They made it a hat-trick of PKL titles, winning the next two seasons as well.
Season 6 saw the Bengaluru Bulls claim their maiden Pro Kabaddi trophy. The following season was won by the Bengal Warriors, who also clinched the trophy for the very first time.
Dabang Delhi became the sixth team to win the title in Season 8. Jaipur Pink Panthers went on to win the previous edition, and are the defending champions as well.
