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Pro Kabaddi 2019, the seventh edition of India's most celebrated kabaddi tournament, is all set to play host to the summit clash of the competition on the 19th of October at the EKA Arena by TransStadia in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The finals will see Dabang Delhi K.C. and Bengal Warriors lock horns in both the teams' first-ever title clash appearance, and the contest is certain to go all the way down to the final minute.
Having failed to make the playoffs of the first five seasons, Dabang Delhi made it to the playoffs last season and beat the Bengal Warriors in the first eliminator, before they lost to the U.P. Yoddha in the third eliminator. However, the Warriors have made the knockout stages in both the last two seasons, and will know how to handle the pressure of the finals.
With both teams having made an impression in the league stages and carried the top form into the knockouts, the summit clash is certain to give rise to some serious fireworks.
Here are five reasons why Dabang Delhi could be pipped to clinch the title against the Bengal Warriors.
#5 Delhi's overall teamwork
Breaking records and winning awards all by an individual player never helps a team win, immaculate teamwork does. Consider the case for the Bengaluru Bulls, who finally succumbed under pressure, despite Pawan Sehrawat's show in the semifinal.
Despite Naveen Kumar's tremendous performance this season, the team has not depended entirely on the youngster to bring about wins for the side. Instead, the likes of Chandran Ranjit and Vijay have contributed on the raiding front, while on the defensive front, the experience from Joginder Narwal, Ravinder Pahal and Vishal Mane has worked well for the side.
Given that the team has been able to revive Naveen quickly every time he has gone on to the bench, expect the youngster to put in yet another impressive show, aided by top performances from all of his teammates.
#4 Wealth of experience in the defensive unit
Dabang Delhi defenders have been in some top form all through the season, and although they have not been able to pick too many High 5s, the ability of both the corner defenders to form a striking alliance has worked wonders for the team.
With a plethora of world-class defenders like Ravinder Pahal, Joginder Narwal, Vishal Mane, and Anil Kumar in the starting 7, the experience could single-handedly torment the Warriors' raiders, who will need to step up in the possible absence of star raider Maninder Singh.
Not only has the experience brought about a whole lot of tackle points, the ability of the defensive unit to bring back Naveen on to the mat once he is sent out in quick time has proved to be one of their biggest success stories this season.
Given that the Warriors have depth in their raiding unit through Sukesh Hegde, K Prapanjan and Mohammad Nabibakhsh, the warhorses on Delhi's defensive front will be keen on making an impact.
#3 Joginder Narwal's influence as captain
A team is nothing without an ideal leader and veteran defender Joginder Narwal has been on of the biggest driving forces behind Dabang Delhi's tremendous success ahead of the PKL 2019 final.
Similar to last season, Joginder has turned out to be the father-like figure that Delhi needed in order to take guidance and advice from on the mat. A vocal captain, Joginder is always seen instructing his wards on the mat, by it the defenders or the raiders, and his experience has also played a huge role in targeting potential areas for picking up points.
Given that Joginder will be leading his side in this final, the ace corner defender will yet again play a pivotal role in leading his side to an important title win, their first-ever trophy in the history of the PKL.
#2 Momentum is with Delhi
Two seasons back, nobody would have imagined that Dabang Delhi would ever top the points table, given their poor form in the history of the tournament. However, season 7 of the league has witnessed a brand new side, as under Joginder Narwal's captaincy, Delhi became the first team to enter the playoffs in this edition.
Having finished the league stages on top of the points table with 15 wins from 22 matches, Delhi went into the first semifinal against the Bengaluru Bulls full of confidence, and put in a match-winning performance that saw the defending champions bowing out from the competition.
Against the Bulls, Delhi picked up 23 raid points and complemented it with 15 tackle points. Given their consistent performances, expect them to put up yet another top show and give the Warriors a run for their money.
#1 Naveen Kumar's ability to win matches
Naveen Kumar, the first-ever 21st-century born player to play in PKL 2019, has had a tremendous run in the ongoing edition of the PKL. Having made a big impression last season, Naveen has bettered his record this season, with 285 points from 22 matches, at an average of 12.95 points per game.
From 22 matches, Naveen has picked up 21 Super 10s and is enjoying a fantastic record of 20 Super 10s in a row this season. With the cover defenders of Bengal Warriors unable to hold their end and pick up tackle points, Naveen could be expected to run through their defensive unit.
Across two matches played against the Warriors, Naveen has 26 points to his credit and has been brought down only six times. Given his 63% strike rate this season, he will undoubtedly be Delhi's biggest trump card, and if the Warriors' defenders hand him the momentum early in the game, the youngster could run away with a big lead for his side.
