PKL: UP Yoddhas eye win against Dabang Delhi to keep playoff hopes alive

Patna (Bihar) [India], January 26 : UP Yoddhas are aiming for a win in their reverse fixture against Dabang Delhi KC in match 92 of Pro Kabaddi League Season 10, which will be played here at the Patliputra Indoor Stadium. The team from Delhi got the better of the Yoddhas 25-35 when the two teams faced each other earlier this season.
The Yoddhas need a win tomorrow to stay alive in the tournament after losing seven consecutive games and are currently placed eleventh in the table with 23 points and a score difference of -54.
In their previous match, the Yoddhas went down 32-49 against Telugu Titans. On the other hand, the Dabang secured a 35-32 victory against the Haryana Steelers and are currently sitting in third position with 54 points and a score difference of 35.
The match between UP Yoddhas and Dabang Delhi K.C. will be telecast live on Star Sports Network and can be streamed live on Hotstar on January 27, 2024, from 09:00 pm (IST) onwards.
The Yoddhas and the Dabangs have faced each other ten times across the seasons of PKL with the UP-based franchisee having an upper hand in the rivalry, emerging victorious on 6 different occasions.
Speaking before the match, UP Yoddhas Head Coach Jasvir Singh said, "At this stage of the tournament, we need to win all of the remaining matches to make it to the playoffs. Surender's injury has affected our combination. But, it's high time for our bench to rise up on the occasion. This will be a very important game for us with the playoffs in sight. The boys are giving their 100% in the training to get our campaign back on track. We missed out on victory against Patna before, but we will give our best to turn the result to our side."
With Surender's injury, the bulk of raiding responsibilities are laid on Captain Pardeep Narwal, who features in the lists of most raid points and most successful raids with his 120 raid points in the season so far.
Both the corners, Sumit and Nitesh Kumar have worked in tandem to strengthen Yoddhas' defence, picking up 45 and 34 tackle points in the process. The cover defender Gurdeep has 28 tackle points to his name and has ably supported the corners. Seasoned all-rounder Vijay Malik has contributed in both the departments, earning 47 total points so far.
Star raider and stand-in captain Ashu Mallik will lead the attack for the Dabang Delhi K.C. in the upcoming match. With 157 raid points in 136 successful raids, he features among the best raiders of this season. The defence duo of Yogesh (41 tackle points) and Ashish (34 tackle points) will look to make it difficult for the Yoddhas' raiders in the coming clash.