Telugu Titans to log heads with Bengaluru Bulls, U Mumba to clash with Dabang Delhi K.C.

The much-awaited Season 11 of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) will kickstart with a thrilling opening contest between the Telugu Titans and the Bengaluru Bulls at the GMCB Indoor Stadium, Gachibowli in Hyderabad on Friday, 18 October, 2024 from 8 pm onwards.

On the eve of the new season a grand launch was held at the Hyatt Place, at Banjara Hills, in Hyderabad. The event was graced by PKL League Commissioner & Head of Sports Leagues at Mashal Sports, Anupam Goswami, along with team captains Pawan Sehrawat (Telugu Titans) and Pardeep Narwal (Bengaluru Bulls). Captains of the remaining 10 teams were also present as they kicked off the PKL season.

Sharing his s thoughts on the journey since 2014 so far and the upcoming season, the League Commissioner, Pro Kabaddi League said, “The first decade of the PKL has been a huge achievement, but for us, the focus is on using the experiences to help prepare for the next phase, and further build on the success stories. The players have received a lot of support over the years. And one of the standout aspects is the confidence with which the players say they are kabaddi athletes. After helping rediscover a world class Indian sport, the next phase of this important journey involves going to newer shores. There has been a significant amount of interest internationally for the PKL. We have always worked with a fan-first thought process, and we promise to be relentless in our approach towards that.”

Telugu Titans' captain Pawan Sehrawat also shared his excitement for the opening match by saying, “I am very happy that we, Telugu Titans, will play the opening game of the season at Hyderabad in front of our home fans. The fans have always supported us a lot, and we are sure there will be more of the same when we walk onto the mat. The team is in a good place and we are confident of doing well".

Bengaluru Bulls' captain Pardeep Narwal was ready for the challenge that lies ahead as he returns to the team that gave him his PKL debut. Ahead of the opening match, he said, “Season 11 of the PKL will be huge and we are very excited to come into the tournament and we have prepared well throughout the pre-season for this. Our team is very well balanced and the Bulls are keen to start off with a bang".

Preparations for PKL 11 began on a historic note as eight players were sold for over INR 1 crore in the auction held in Mumbai. After Pawan and Pardeep take to the mat on Friday, the second match of the night will see U Mumba's Sunil Kumar – the most expensive Indian defender in PKL history after being bought for INR 1.015 Crores – take on the attacking prowess of Naveen Kumar, who is among the star raiders for Dabang Delhi K.C. The duo which share a healthy rivalry have played each other 22 times, with U Mumba having a better share of honours with 12 victories, while Dabang Delhi K.C have won nine times and one game ended in a tie.

The previous encounter in Season 10 however saw Dabang Delhi K.C having got the better of U Mumba by a narrow margin of 39-33. Dabang Delhi K.C. finished 3rd among 12 teams on the points table with 79 points, while former champions U Mumba finished 10th among 12 with a total of 45 points after winning 6 matches, losing 13 and 3 ties.

This time around, PKL will be returning to a three-city format, with the 2024 edition commencing at the GMCB Indoor Stadium, Gachibowli in Hyderabad from 18th October to 9th November. Noida Indoor Stadium will later host the second leg starting on 10th November till 1st December. The third leg will begin at the Badminton Hall in the Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune from 3rd to 24th December. The Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 Playoffs will most probably be held in the first week of January 2025 in the face of the forthcoming inaugural edition of Kho Kho World Cup 2025, with Mumbai as one of the strong contenders to host the same.

 All 132 league phase matches of the Pro Kabaddi League Season 11 that will be held as double headers with start time of 8 PM IST for the first match, followed by the second match starting around 9 PM IST. The same will be broadcasted live on the Star Sports Network and streamed on Disney+ Hotstar from 18th October onwards. 

Photo PKL Captains For Season 11: Captains of all the 12 PKL franchises including host Telugu Titans and U Mumba are all geared up for the Season 11 (Photo courtesy PKL)