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The seventh edition of the Pro Kabaddi League is just around the corner as it is all set to commence from the 20th of July in Hyderabad.
A small twist is up for the show as the matches will take place in a double robin round format, contrary to the zonal and interzonal system that was followed in season 5 and season 6 of the league.
Bengaluru Bulls are the defending champions of the league, having beaten the Gujarat Fortune Giants in the summit of season 6 to claim their first-ever PKL title.
Patna Pirates, one of the most successful teams in the history of the league, have their name etched deep in the golden history of the Pro Kabaddi League. The team stunned fans and pundits alike after bagging the PKL trophy thrice in a row, in seasons 3, 4 and 5.
On the back of positive shows in the first five season of the PKL, the Pirates were backed to have yet another season in PKL 6. However, over-reliance on Pardeep Narwal proved to be the chink in their armour.
The new season has a lot of potential to bring forward a fruitful result for the Pirates. The team management did a top job in building a squad for PKL 2019. Coach Ram Mehar Singh weighed his options and made better choices for the upcoming season to suit both the raiding and defensive units.
As we build up the Pro Kabaddi 2019, let us have a look at three players who can be expected to have a good season with the Patna Pirates.
#3 Surender Nada
Surender Nada made a cracking debut for U Mumba in the first season of PKL. He is undoubtedly one of the best finds of kabaddi. His extremely powerful ankle holds and blocks prove to be tough to handle for the best of raiders.
Till date, this left-corner defender has efficiently gathered a total of 243 points in 71 matches. He was also a crucial part of U Mumba's squad when they won the trophy in season 2 of PKL.
In the fourth edition of the league, Bengaluru Bulls bought him right after which he became a part of Haryana Steelers for season 5 and 6. Patna Pirates bought him for whopping ₹77 lakhs during the season 7 auctions which took place on the 8th and 9th of April, earlier this year.
Nada was injured in the first match of Steelers last season due to which he was not able to play throughout the league last season. Now that he is hopefully back to his original form, we can expect him to guard the left corner for the Pirates and lead the team from the defensive front.
#2 Jang Kun Lee
Jang Kun Lee, one of the most well-known PKL foreign players, is now a part of the Pirates' squad. An agile raider from South Korea, Lee made his debut in the first season for Bengal Warriors and played an integral part of the team up until the previous edition of PKL.
A proficient raider, Lee has always been a crowd favorite. Till date, Lee has scored a total of 433 points in 90 matches and generally banks on the toe touches and bonus point attempts to collect a majority of his points.
Lee holds the record for the most points scored by an overseas player, and was also the costliest foreign player after the season 5 auctions. Patna Pirates, for the upcoming season, shelled out ₹40 lakhs to sign his services.
For PKL 2019, Jang Kun Lee will be playing alongside the 'Dubki King' Pardeep Narwal himself. With no doubts, together, they can set the mat on fire.
#1 Pardeep Narwal
One of the best raiders in the sport, Pardeep Narwal is once again a part of Patna Pirates, and will be banked on to produce yet another powerful performance. Over the past seasons of the league, Narwal has blown minds in the past with his intricate and skillful tactics.
When the Dubki King raids on the mat, the crowd in the stadium goes crazy. His best performance came during a game against the Haryana Steelers, in a game where he scored 34 points in a single match during season 5.
Till date, Narwal has scored a total of 865 points in 85 matches, the most for any player, which includes a stupendous 8-point raid against the Haryana Steelers.
For the upcoming season, we can expect this multiple record-holder to enjoy yet another fantastic run in the tournament and re-ignite the lost spark in the Pirates' campaign alongside Jang Kun Lee.
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