UP Yoddha will be up against Tamil Thalaivas for the second time in Pro Kabaddi Season 8 when they face-off on Wednesday at Sheraton Grand, Whitefield, in Bengaluru.
The Nitesh Kumar-led UP Yoddha got back to winning ways in the last game against Telugu Titans triumphing 39-35 after a barren run of four matches.
Tamil Thalaivas, on the other hand, have also won just once in their last four matches this season. They face Haryana Steelers before taking on UP Yoddha.
However, Tamil Thalaivas were the better side when UP Yoddha met them earlier this season, winning 39-33, despite Surender Gill’s super 10.
Currently placed seventh on the PKL points table, UP Yoddha can move into the top six with a win against the Thalaivas and boost their playoff chances.
Players to watch out for - UP Yoddha
The onus will once again be on Surender Gill to guide his team to victory with his blazing raids. The star performer picked up 12 points in the last game, taking his total to 143 raid points in 16 matches this season.
Helping Surender Gill in the attack will be the seasoned Pardeep Narwal, who himself has amassed 110 raid points in PKL 8.
Meanwhile, captain Nitesh Kumar and Sumit will be teaming up in the defence. Both players have more than 40 tackle points and are among the top 10 defenders in this edition.
Players to watch out for – Tamil Thalaivas
The raiding duties for Tamil Thalaivas will be on Manjeet, who is the most successful raider for his team this season, racking up 123 points in 15 matches.
Ajinkya Pawar has played the role of a support raider quite efficiently, with 91 raid points.
To counter Surender Gill’s attacking prowess, Tamil Thalaivas will rely on Sagar, who leads the tackle points charts with a massive 67 in 16 appearances, including eight high 5s.
UP Yoddha vs Tamil Thalaivas head-to-head
The two teams have met nine times in Pro Kabaddi League history, with both UP Yoddha and Tamil Thalaivas winning thrice each and drawing three matches.
Tamil Thalaivas won the last encounter 33-39 in January.
Recent form
UP Yoddha: L, L, L, L, W
Tamil Thalaivas: T, L, W, W, L
