Puneri Paltan vs U.P. Yoddha, Pro Kabaddi (PKL), Today Match Prediction

punp vs upy Match Prediction & Analysis

Both teams have qualified for the next round, though the UP Yodha will have one more match to play before they can reach the semi-finals. The Puneri Paltan has already qualified for the semi-finals as they have finished 2nd in the points table. UP Yodha is placed 4th and they will take on the team placed 5th in the points table in the eliminator. They will go through the semi-finals only if they win the eliminator.

But the Yodha will enter the arena for a dress rehearsal with the Puneri Paltan. The Paltan defeated the Yodha in their earlier meeting in the season and the UP Yodha will look forward to avenging that beating. UP Yodha will be worried about the availability of raider Surender Gill who is an important cog in the wheel. In his absence, Yodha loses a bit of steam as all the burden comes on Pardeep Narwal. Young Rohit Tomar may lead the charge for the Yodha in this match. 

Both teams will try out youngsters in their squad in this final appearance before the playoff.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Puneri Paltan Preview

The Puneri Paltan has surprised everyone with their consistency and teamwork. They have all the ingredients to become a champion team this season. The Paltan was a bit slow to take off, but post the return of Fazel Attrachali the Paltan has become unbearable. They have a wonderful mix of young aggressive raiders along with in-form defenders. 

Aslam Inamdar and Mohit Goyat form the crux of their raiding department while Neeraj Narwal has been the perfect sidekick. All of them have earned well in most of the games which have helped the Puneri Paltan shrug off any pressure from their opponents.

Captain Fazel has been impressive as expected while the other defenders have excelled under his leadership. Defender Sombir has been unbeatable while Abhinesh Nadarajan performed beyond expectations against the UP Yodha. Sanket Sawant and all-rounder Nabibaksh provide another dimension to the Paltan defense.

The Paltan had a dream run this season. They had been relatively unsuccessful in their first 2 seasons but made it to the playoff in 2016 for the first time. They finished third that season but since then, the Paltan has not been a force to reckon with.

Season 9 could be a game-changer for them. The Paltan has notched up some mind-boggling numbers this time. 

They have conducted 368 successful team raids along with 205 successful team tackles. 

They have inflicted 35 all-outs in 21 matches while the Paltan has also earned 74 Do-or-Die raid points. They have won 14 out of their 21 matches which helped them finish 2nd in the points table and get a direct entry into the semi-finals. The Paltan will play their last league match against the UP Yodha. They will try out some new players as they have already qualified for the next round. They would like to leave Hyderabad on a winning note.

U.P. Yoddha Preview

UP Yodha seems to have peaked at the right time. They we in a spot of bother mid-season as Pardeep Narwal did not fire in the first few matches. But the Dubki King bounced back to silence his critiques. 

Pardeep has scored 208 raid points which include 10 Super 10s. He has started executing multi-raid points which made life easy for Yodha. 

The main issue with the Yodha is a drop in momentum. They have not been able to build the intensity over the last few weeks. Also, the Yodha has been a bit unimaginative in some games. They should have been street-smart but unknowingly they let the game slip away.

UP Yodha needs to overcome these issues at the earliest as they move toward the eliminators. They still have a few games where they can bounce back and hope to qualify for the playoff. Raider Surender Gill is still recovering from injury and he will be expected to be fit by the end of this week. But young raider Rohit Tomar has filled his shoes with some impressive performances. 

The UP Yodha has conducted 351 successful team raids in 21 matches. 

Unfortunately, they have a low success rate in team tackles as they have been able to execute just 186 successful team tackles. 

The Yodha has won 11 out of their 21 games along with a couple of tied matches. They finished 4th in the points table, thus qualifying for the next round. But they will have to go through the eliminators in order to reach the semi-finals. They have been generally successful at the PKL qualifying for the playoffs regularly. But they have not been able to win the title yet. This could be a golden opportunity for them.

Their main weapon will be Pardeep Narwal. He became the first man in the history of the PKL to score 1500 raid points. Along with a good defense, the Yodha will stake its claim for the title. But they need to pull up their socks as a drop in intensity has been their chronic issue. They lost their last 2 matches, although they fielded some young and new players. The Yodha may try out youngsters along with some veterans like Nitin Tomar in this game too.