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Bengaluru Bulls will take on Dabang Delhi in the semi-finals of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) on Wednesday in Bengaluru. High-flyer Pawan Sehrawat was in full flow for the Bulls, scoring 13 points in the last game. His prowess as a raider is well known, and was on display in the final of the sixth season of the competition too.
In that match, he led his Pro Kabaddi team to a superb win over Gujarat Giants. He has once again played a starring role in another win over the same team to get the Bulls into the semi-finals. He has been in deadly form this season, and could be a huge threat to Dabang Delhi in the semi-final.
The result of this match could depend on various player battles. On that note, here’s a look at the three most prominent player battles that could be key in the game’s outcome:
#1 Pawan Sehrawat (Bengaluru) vs Manjeet Chillar (Delhi)
This will be a huge contest as the top raider of the Bulls will go up against the chief defender of Dabang. Sehrawat’s ability to escape mind-boggling leaps and jumps is well-known, but so is Chillar’s grip, which is very tough to escape.
Throughout the season, when Sehrawat was eliminated early in the match, it led to trouble for Bengaluru. He will be targeted by Delhi, and Chillar is most likely to make a successful tackle against him. Whoever wins this duel could lead their team to the final.
#2 Bharat (Bengaluru) vs Joginder Narwal (Delhi)
Just when everyone thought Bengaluru were overly dependent on Pawan Sehrawat alone, Bharat rose to the occasion, proving his worth to the team. His tall, lanky physique and quickness gives him the ability to pull off great escapes.
Whenever Sehrawat is off the mat, Bharat becomes the key raider. This is where Delhi captain Joginder Narwal is likely to try and neutralise him. Because of Bharat’s height, the key would be to get a strong grip on him during tackles. Anything less would give him enough time to find his way through.
Narwal will have to be at his best and commit fully to any attempt in eliminating Bharat.
View the most tackle points in PKL here.
#3 Vijay (Delhi) vs Saurabh Nandal (Bengaluru)
Delhi were riding on ‘Naveen Express’ during the early stages of the season. However, Naveen Kumar had to take a backseat in the later stages of the league. The responsibility of scoring points has now fallen on other raiders. Prominent among them is Vijay. He has become the most dependable raider recently for his team.
If Bengaluru are to stop him, they could render Delhi nearly toothless in the raiding department. The most likely man to do this is Saurabh Nandal, the Bulls defender who usually helms the right corner position.
Nandal showed good form in the eliminator. If he repeats that effort, it could go a long way in ensuring the Bulls’ success. However, Vijay has the opportunity to become a hero too, and will try his best to dismantle the plans of his opponents.
