In many of the past seasons of the league, the lead contenders for the qualifiers were pretty evident due to their consistently good performance. However, the same cannot be said for this season because it is only now that we have come to find the teams that can be expected to reach the finals. Many dark horses have improved their game since the start of the season, whereas some others have not been able to pull themselves up from the lower ranks.
With only 19 more matches left to declare the champion of Pro Kabaddi League 2019, the competition is stiff, and the stakes are high. While the top 3 teams are
Bengaluru Bulls
From being the winners in the last season to being among the top teams in this season too, it is not surprising that the Bulls have made it to this list. Most of the team members are the same as they were last year, allowing the team to build upon the already present cohesive familiarity and understanding between them. Looking at the statistics of the matches played till now, raider Pawan Kumar Sehrawat has been dominating the boards with highest total points, highest raid points and the most number of successful raids. If that isn’t impressive enough already, the team is also very balanced with good raiders, defenders and all-rounders. Currently, the closest rivals of the Bulls in reaching the top 3 are Haryana Steelers and U-Mumba, both teams that have reached the finals in the past. Although Bengaluru’s position on the leader board isn’t the best, this team has shown that it can rise above everyone else.
Dabang Delhi
Currently, at the top of the leaderboard, team Delhi’s chances of getting to the qualifiers are looking up recently. Although the statistics change with each match played, Delhi’s performance has been consistent to an extent and with some excellent players, this goal is not that hard to achieve. Raider Naveen Kumar, in particular, has been making waves this season by being in the top 3 raiders and completing the most number of Super10s in this season. In fact, he has surpassed other top-ranking raiders like Pawan Sehrawat and Pardeep Narwal in this category. While many failed to believe that this season’s squad could go far in the league, the team has proved them wrong by winning the majority of the matches. For Dabang Delhi, actions truly do speak louder than words!
Bengal Warriors
Despite possessing a pretty strong team this time around, Bengal Warriors has taken its time to rise to the high position it currently holds in the charts. Looking at the earlier matches of the season, no one could have predicted this ascend, yet the Warriors have pulled through. In the relatively recent matches, Bengal has performed well and showed its mettle, firmly establishing itself as one of the top contenders for going through to this next phase. With the guidance and leadership of Captain Maninder Singh, the team has emerged as the biggest rival to Delhi. This talented skipper is constantly in the lists of top raiders in the game too. On the defence front, Baldev Singh holds the most number of High5s and has executed a lot of successful tackles. Overall, no one can deny that this team also has very strong chances of becoming the top qualifiers.
In such a dynamic sport and environment, there is no surety if these predictions will come to pass. Out of the many teams in the run for the win, there are some other contenders as well who may not look that strong right now but do hold the potential to take this competition by storm. U-Mumba and Haryana Steelers certainly come to mind, but wild cards like Puneri Paltan and Patna Pirates cannot be ignored either. All of these teams have the skill set, but only time will tell who are the final qualifiers. Keep watching the next matches of Pro Kabaddi League to see your favourite teams battle it out to get a step closer to the victory!