Dabang Delhi take on Telugu Titans in Match 27 of Pro Kabaddi League at the Patliputra Sports Complex, Patna. The Dabangs will be flying high after their emphatic victory over defending champions Patna Pirates last night. They are still at the 7th place in the table, as they were before last night’s match. However, their confidence will be high after a thumping 33-15 victory.
Telugu Titans, too, will be confident after winning their last match against a strong U Mumba side. Titans are tied on points with Delhi, but are a position above them in 6th place, thanks to a superior score difference. The match promises to be an intriguing one, as both the teams will look to capitalize on their momentum and push for a Top 4 spot.
Dabang Delhi performance so far
Dabang Delhi battled their way to register a shock victory over Patna Pirates, who were undefeated in this season’s Pro Kabaddi. The Pirates were the favorites going into the match, winning 5 out of their opening 5 matches, and Delhi looked out of sorts and low on confidence, managing only one win. However, much has changed since last night.
The victory over the defending champions will give the Delhi franchise, a much-needed impetus and very important 5 points. Dabangs have been a part of some entertaining matches this season. They pulled off a dramatic 27-27 draw against Puneri Paltans and lost to U Mumba by just 2 points
After 3 disappointing seasons in Pro Kabaddi, Dabang Delhi came into Season 4 with a much-improved squad and the hope for at least a top 4 finish. Things looked dim as they won only 1 out of their opening 5 matches, but winning against the champions at home, will give them the belief to qualify in the Top 4.
Delhi will be a galvanized unit, going into this match against the Telugu Titans.
Iranian all-rounder, Meraj Sheikh, Delhi’s captain in their last match is the key man for the Dabangs. The ex-Titan player is swift with his tackles and also efficient with the raids, scoring some crucial points for Delhi this season.
Delhi’s captain for the season, Kashiling Adake was dropped in their last match and will be desperate to prove himself and get back on the mat. Adake, who scored more than 100 raid points in Season 1 and 2, has managed only 18 points in the current season.
Sachin Shingade has impressed one and all in this season’s Pro Kabaddi. Capable of playing anywhere on the mat, Sachin’s versatility is a huge bonus for the Dabangs. Another important player for them this season has been Selvamani K, who has been utilized brilliantly by the capital franchise.
Telugu Titans performance so far
The young Telugu team played out of their skins to win against a very strong U Mumba side. The Titans registered a valuable 35-30 victory in their final match of the home leg, and will give them the confidence to progress to the semis.
The Titans won 2 and lost 2 in their home leg, and are languishing in the bottom-half of the table. Their performance against Mumbai was their best performance of the season thus far, and they will have to come up with more such performances if they are to book a place in the last 4.
The Titans kicked off Pro Kabaddi Season 4 with a close 4-points loss against Puneri Paltans and lost by the identical margin against former champions, Jaipur Pink Panthers in their second match. They came heartbreakingly close in their third match against Patna Pirates but lost by just 2 points. Then they came out with a thumping 35-18 victory against Bengal Warriors in their next match but got edged out by Bengaluru Bulls, 28-30, in their 5th match of Season 4.
The Telugu skipper, Rahul Chaudhari is their key man. One of the most successful raiders in the history of Pro Kabaddi, Chaudhari will look to score important points for the team and give them momentum early on in the match. The promising Nilesh Salunke has to support the skipper in today’s encounter.
Telugu’s defense has been shaky but they have shown signs of improvement, lately. Rohit Kumar’s diving hand touches have been very effective against the Titans, and the duo of Sandeep Narwal and Sandeep Dhull will head the Titan’s defensive line.
Match Prediction
The match promises to be tight and exciting, as both the teams are high on confidence, and will be desperate to push for a Top 4 finish.
Iranian Meraj Sheikh will be the X-factor in today’s match, as his all-round capabilities can trouble any team. Adake can be expected to start today’s match, following his exclusion against the Pirates. Sachin Shingade will be their key man in defense, and will have to be solid against star-raider, Rahul Chaudhari.
Telugu Titans will be dependent on their skipper, Rahul Chaudhari, to score important points and lead the inexperienced Telugu side. The defensive duo of Sandeep Narwal and Sandeep Dhull will have to come out on top against the likes of Selvamani K and Kashiling Adake.
Delhi might just pull off their 3rd victory of Season 4 today, against the Titans.
Squads
Telugu Titans
Defenders: Vinod Kumar, Sandeep Dhull,
All-rounders: Jasmer Singh Gulia, Rupesh Tomar, Sandeep Narwal, Mohammad Maghsoudlou, Shashank Wankhede, Aklhaq Hussain, Muhammed Rizwan, Sagar B. Krishna, Vishal Bhardwaj
Raiders: Vinoth Kumar, K.Prapanjan, Nilesh Salunke, Rahul Chaudhary, Sukesh Hegde, Sombir, Athul MS.
Dabang Delhi
Defenders: Ram Kumar Sah, Prashant Chavan, D.Gopu, D.Suresh Kumar, Sachin Shingade
All-rounders: Bhupender Singh, Meraj Sheykh, Hadi Tajik, Phonchoo Tin, Manjeet
Raiders: Kashiling Adake, Selvamani K, Prashant Kumar Rai, Deepak Narwal, Umesh Mhatre, Sanket Chavan, Vikash Khandola
Telugu Titans vs Dabang Delhi Live Match Information
Date: 09/07/2016
Time: 20:00 IST
Venue: Patliputra Sports Complex, Patna.
TV Channels: Star Sports 2/Star Sports 2 HD (English), Star Sports 3/Star Sports 3 HD (Hindi)
Live stream: StarSports.com
