Pune. PKL Season 11 has been one of the most entertaining and tightly contested seasons in the history of the tournament. The journey is now in its second decade and PKL Season 11 now comes to Pune, home of last year's champions Puneri Paltan.
The final leg of the league stage of PKL Season 11 will begin on December 3 and end on December 24. After that, the PKL Season 11 playoff matches will also be played in Pune, with the eliminator and semifinals to be played on December 26 and 27 respectively, and then the grand final on December 29.
Puneri Paltan, who have faced some ups and downs this season, will hope that home advantage and the home fans can encourage them when they start their campaign at home against archrivals U Mumba. Will do it while playing. This is expected to be one of the most competitive fixtures of the Maharashtra derby.
At the end of the first two stages of PKL Season11, Puneri Paltan is at 5th position in the points table, and U Mumba is at 7th position. When the two teams met in Hyderabad at the beginning of the season, Puneri Paltan had defeated U Mumba. Over the years, Puneri Paltan has given many memorable matches to its fans.
Paltan, which won its first title in Season 10 of PKL, has recorded 19 wins, 18 losses and 5 draws in 42 matches in Pune. Meanwhile, the U Mumba team, which won the PKL title in Season 2, has had a great record on their tours in Pune. Overall, in 20 matches, they have lost 8 while winning 12. Against Puneri Paltan, U Mumba have registered 3 wins and 2 losses while playing at the Balewadi Stadium.
Before going into the Maharashtra derby, Puneri Paltan had played 15 matches so far. Out of this he has registered 7 wins. He has suffered 5 defeats and also had 3 ties. The Season 10 champions have won one of their last three matches, and will be expected to carry the momentum home. On the other hand, U Mumba have won 8 of their 14 matches, lost 5 and drawn 1.
Talking about headtohead, U Mumba and Puneri Paltan have faced each other 23 times in PKL, with both the teams registering 10 wins each, along with 3 draws, and neither side A win for them will give them glory till next season.
Addressing a press conference before the start of the Pune leg, Puneri Paltan coach BC Ramesh said, “PKL Season 11 has been the toughest season ever. But, now in Pune, Puneri Paltan is keen to ensure That we make proper plans for all our opponents and most importantly execute them perfectly. It is a good opportunity for us to play in front of our fans.”
U Mumba coach Gholamreza Mazandarani also said that there is excitement among fans and players alike about this interMaharashtra matchup.
He said, “It is very difficult to play against Puneri Paltan and in front of their home fans, they will definitely be more motivated, but U Mumba is going to come prepared, just like we plan and work for every match. We do. It is important for us to execute our plans well and play with discipline.”
Anupam Goswami, League Commissioner, Pro Kabaddi League, said, “PKL Season 11 has taken the competitive intensity of Kabaddi to unprecedented heights. A win has moved the teams 45 places up on the points table, with only six points separating the second and seventh positions. The unpredictable nature of this season has ensured that no team can take success for granted. As we enter the third and final leg of the league stage, Pune is set to host an exciting encounter where every match can define the fate of the teams.”
On the opening day of the third leg of PKL Season 11, there will be a blockbuster clash between Puneri Paltan and U Mumba at 9 PM, while in the first match of the day, Bengaluru Bulls will face Gujarat Giants.
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Image Credit: KhasKhabar.