PKL Season 12 Match Preview: Bengal Warriors vs Haryana Steelers – A Fierce Rivalry Takes Centre Stage

The Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 (PKL 12) presents a blockbuster encounter in Match 6 as Bengal Warriorz take on defending champions Haryana Steelers. The battle promises high intensity, with PKL 11's top raider Devank Dalal leading Bengal's charge, whilst the Steelers look to continue their championship reign with new acquisition Naveen Kumar alongside their proven core.

Head-to-Head Record: Bengal Warriorz vs Haryana Steelers

In their 12 PKL meetings, Haryana Steelers hold a commanding edge over Bengal Warriorz: Haryana Steelers – 9 wins

Bengal Warriorz – 3 wins

Tied – 0

Interestingly, Bengal Warriorz managed just 1 win against Haryana Steelers from PKL 5 to PKL 10, but turned the tables in PKL 11, winning both encounters against the eventual champions. This gives Bengal hope as they face the defending titleholders.

Bengal Warriorz Squad for PKL Season 12

After breaking their playoff drought in PKL 11 with a 5th-place finish, Bengal Warriorz made strategic additions through the auction whilst retaining key personnel using their Final Bid Match options.

Key Auction Buys:

Devank Dalal (Raider) – ₹2.205 crore

Himanshu (Raider) – ₹39.20 lakh

Nitesh Kumar (Defender) - ₹20.25 lakh (FBM)

Retained Core:

Defenders: Nitesh Kumar, Mayur Jagannath Kadam, Ashish, Parteek All-rounder: Shivansh Thakur

Full Squad Highlights:

Raiders: Devank, Jang Kun Lee (F), Sushil Kambrekar, Vishwas S, Manprit, Punit Kumar, Rachit Kumar, Omid Khojasteh Mohammadshah (F), Himanshu

Defenders: Nitesh Kumar, Mayur Jagannath Kadam, Ashish, Manjeet, Deep Kumar, Yash Malik, Amandeep, Ankit, Sandeep, Harander, Parteek

All-rounders: Shivansh Thakur, Moolchandra Singh

With PKL 11's leading raider Devank spearheading the attack and the experienced Nitesh Kumar captaining from defence, Bengal Warriorz aim to build a fresh start.

Haryana Steelers Squad for PKL Season 12

The defending champions retained their title-winning core whilst making a marquee addition to strengthen their raiding arsenal for back-to-back championship aspirations.

Key Auction Buys:

Naveen Kumar (Raider) – ₹1.20 crore

Rahul (Defender) – ₹30 lakh

Retained Core:

Captain: Jaideep

Raiders: Vinay, Shivam Anil Patare, Vishal S. Tate, Jaya Soorya NS, Vikas Ramadas Jadhav Defenders: Rahul Sethpal, Manikandan N

All-rounder: Ghanshyam Roka Magar (using FBM for 2 seasons)

Full Squad Highlights:

Raiders: Naveen Kumar, Vinay, Shivam Anil Patare, Vishal S. Tate, Jaya Soorya NS, Vikas Ramadas Jadhav, Mayank Saini, Ghanshyam Roka Magar (F), Shahan Sha Mohammed (F)

Defenders: Jaideep (Captain), Rahul Sethpal, Neeraj Kumar, Manikandan N, Ankit, Sachin, Ritik, Hardeep, Rahul, Zubair

All-rounders: Ghanshyam Roka Magar (F)

With their championship-winning core intact and the addition of star raider Naveen Kumar, Haryana Steelers are well-positioned to defend their title while adding another chapter to their success story.

What to Expect

Championship Defence: Haryana Steelers begin their title defence with tactical mastermind Manpreet Singh, who became the first individual to win PKL titles both as player and coach.

Devank's Redemption: After being limited to 8.3 average raid points against the Steelers in PKL 11, the league's top raider of Season 11 looks to overcome Manpreet's tactical prowess.

Naveen's New Journey: The Naveen Express brings his championship pedigree to the Steelers, having been the fastest to reach 1000 raid points in PKL history (90 matches).

Tactical Battle: Nitesh Kumar's proven defensive leadership (3rd most tackle points in PKL - 409) versus the Steelers' formidable defensive wall of Jaideep and Rahul Sethpal.

Historical Rivalry: Despite the Steelers’ overall dominance (9-3), Bengal’s recent success against them (2-0 in PKL 11) adds intrigue to this match, especially given the rivalry between Jaideep and Devank last year.

Match Details

• Match: Bengal Warriorz vs Haryana Steelers
• Tournament: Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 - Match 6
• Date: Sunday, August 31, 2025
• Venue: Vishwanadh Sports Club, Visakhapatnam
• Time: 7:30 PM onwards
• LIVE Streaming: Watch LIVE on Star Sports Network and JioHotstar. For LIVE scores and updates, visit prokabaddi.com or download the Pro Kabaddi Official App.

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