Two teams at opposite ends of the table clash in Match 56 of PKL 12 as bottom-placed Bengal Warriorz host second-placed Puneri Paltan in a classic battle of contrasting strengths. The league's most potent raiding unit, led by the unstoppable Devank, faces its sternest test against PKL 12's most formidable defensive fortress.

Probable Starting 7

Bengal Warriorz

  • Right Corner – Ankit
  • Right In – Devank (C)
  • Right Cover – Mayur Kadam
  • Centre – Himanshu Narwal
  • Left Cover – Manjeet
  • Left In – Manprit
  • Left Corner – Ashish

Puneri Paltan

  • Right Corner – Gaurav Khatri
  • Right In – Aditya Shinde
  • Right Cover – Abinesh Nadarajan
  • Centre – Pankaj Mohite
  • Left Cover – Gurdeep
  • Left In – Aslam Inamdar (C)
  • Left Corner – Vishal Bhardwaj

Headlines

➢ Two teams in the other sides of the table take on each other
 ➢ Puneri Paltan are in 2nd place, but Bengal Warriorz have not had a great season, they are in 10th place
 ➢ Bengal Warriorz are the best raiding team and Puneri Paltan are the best defensive team in PKL 12
 ➢ Devank has been the best raider in the league. He has a Super 10 in every match he has played this season
 ➢ He had 22 raid points in the last game against the Patna Pirates to get the Warriorz their 3rd win
 ➢ After struggling defensively, the Warriorz have dropped Nitesh Kumar, and gone with a young defence
 ➢ Puneri Paltan are coming off a tough loss in their last match against the Haryana Steelers
 ➢ Aditya Shinde has been leading the raiding unit for the most part, but Pankaj Mohite stepped up last match with a Super 10

Top Stories of the Match

Dhaakad Devank Takes On the Strongest Defensive Unit in Puneri Paltan

Devank's extraordinary season reached new heights in the demolition of Patna Pirates, where he delivered a 22-point masterclass – the second-highest individual tally by any raider in PKL 12. Operating at 85% success rate, he showcased the complete arsenal that has terrorised defences throughout the campaign.

His achievement transcends mere statistics – Devank is the only raider in PKL 12 to record Super 10s in every single match, establishing a standard of consistency unmatched in the current season.

League-leading statistics:

  • 131 raid points in 8 matches (16.4 average, 71% success rate)
  • 8 consecutive Super 10s (only player to achieve this feat)
  • Best average raid points in the entire league

His situational mastery demonstrates tactical intelligence:

By Defenders in Play (DIP):

  • 6-7 defenders: 103 points at 83% SR (dominant against full lines)
  • 4-5 defenders: 11 points at 34% SR (struggles in transition)
  • 2-3 defenders: 17 points at 61% SR (effective in super tackle scenarios)

Time-wise consistency shows relentless excellence across all phases:

  • 1-10 minutes: 36 points at 65% SR
  • 11-20 minutes: 29 points at 74% SR
  • 21-30 minutes: 37 points at 77% SR
  • 31-40 minutes: 29 points at 69% SR

His brilliance has propelled Bengal Warriorz to league-leading attacking statistics – 25.9 average raid points at 62% success rate – despite their lowly position.

However, the ultimate challenge awaits. Puneri Paltan possess the league's most formidable defensive unit, averaging 12.3 tackle points per match at 50% success rate – both league-leading figures.

Their excellence in 6-7 defender situations (where Devank dominates) creates fascinating tactical tension. Paltan's joint-best 43% tackle success rate with full defensive lines presents the perfect counter to Devank's primary strength.

Historical encounters offer encouragement – Devank averages 11.3 raid points at 67% success rate against Puneri Paltan with 2 Super 10s in 3 meetings.

Gaurav Khatri leads the defensive resistance, averaging 3.3 tackle points at 64% success rate – the joint-second best tackle success rate in 6-7 defender situations (65%). His 17 tackle points in these scenarios rank second in the league.

The absence of his tackle point against Haryana Steelers (first such failure this season) might provide psychological advantage for Devank, though Vishal Bhardwaj (3 points at 75% SR) and Gurdeep (2 points at 33% SR) demonstrated the unit's depth.

The remarkable fact that all four Paltan starting defenders have recorded High 5s this season – Gaurav Khatri (3), Vishal Bhardwaj (2), Gurdeep (2), Abinesh Nadarajan (1) – demonstrates collective excellence.

Team Stories

Bengal Warriorz – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results:

  • M#51 vs Patna Pirates – Won 48–42 (6-point victory)
  • M#39 vs Jaipur Pink Panthers – Lost 41–45 (4-point defeat)
  • M#35 vs UP Yoddhas – Won 41–37 (4-point victory)
  • M#30 vs Tamil Thalaivas – Lost 36–46 (10-point defeat)
  • M#23 vs Dabang Delhi K.C. – Lost 34–45 (11-point defeat)

Bengal Warriorz languish in 10th position despite possessing the league's most potent attacking weapon. Their recent form shows marginal improvement – 2 wins in the last 3 matches – but fundamental defensive frailties continue undermining their efforts.

Captain Dhaakad Devank's consistency provides the lone bright spot, with his 22-point performance representing the season's second-highest individual tally.

Will Ankit and Ashish Corner Combo Work for Bengal Warriorz?

The defensive collapse represents the primary cause of their struggles. Ranking last in the league for tackle success rate (32%) whilst averaging just 8.9 tackle points per match, they possess PKL 12's most vulnerable defensive unit.

Performance correlation with results starkly illustrates the issue:

  • In wins (3 matches): 12.0 average tackle points at 40% SR
  • In losses (5 matches): 7.0 average tackle points at 27% SR

The bold tactical decision to drop veteran Nitesh Kumar in favour of Ankit paid immediate dividends:

Corner performance vs Patna Pirates:

  • Ashish: 5 tackle points at 71% SR (High 5)
  • Ankit: 4 tackle points at 44% SR

Ashish's emergence has been the defensive revelation, averaging 4.0 tackle points per match – the best in PKL 12. His dominance when facing full defensive lines is unprecedented:

  • Most tackle points in 6-7 DIP situations (19 points at 63% SR)
  • Consistent excellence across all seven matches

The corner combination's success against inferior opposition must now be tested against the league's premier attacking unit.

Puneri Paltan – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results:

  • M#41 vs Haryana Steelers – Lost 30–34 (4-point defeat)
  • M#40 vs U Mumba – Won 40–22 (18-point demolition)
  • M#32 vs Telugu Titans – Won 39–33 (6-point victory)
  • M#26 vs UP Yoddhas – Won 43–32 (11-point victory)
  • M#22 vs Patna Pirates – Lost 37–48 (11-point defeat)

Comfortably positioned in 2nd place with 6 wins in 9 matches, Puneri Paltan have established themselves as genuine title contenders built on defensive solidity and attacking depth.

The narrow defeat to Haryana Steelers ended a three-match winning streak, exposing vulnerabilities when their defensive cornerstone, Gaurav Khatri, fails to deliver.

Defensive excellence defines their identity:

  • League-leading 12.3 average tackle points
  • Best tackle success rate (50%)
  • In wins: 14.8 average tackle points at 59% SR
  • In losses: 7.3 average tackle points at 31% SR

The correlation between defensive performance and results is absolute – they've never won when failing to reach 10 tackle points.

Paltan Showcase Their Raiding Depth

The balanced attacking trio provides tactical flexibility:

  • Aditya Shinde: 56 raid points (7.0 average, 67% SR, 2 Super 10s)
  • Pankaj Mohite: 49 raid points (5.4 average, 46% SR, 2 Super 10s)
  • Aslam Inamdar: 31 raid points (3.4 average, 30% SR, 1 Super 10)

Aditya Shinde ranks third in the league for raid success rate among players with 40+ raid points (67%), trailing only Devank and Gagan Gowda. His Do-or-Die mastery (13 points, joint-3rd in league at 76% SR) allows Paltan tactical flexibility.

However, recent fitness concerns created opportunities for depth players. Pankaj Mohite's response against Haryana Steelers showcased championship mentality – 14 raid points at 70% success rate with remarkable second-half dominance (11 of 14 points after the interval).

His half-wise splits reveal a fascinating pattern:

  • 1st half: 22 points at 39% SR
  • 2nd half: 27 points at 53% SR

Stuwart Singh's impact off the bench against U Mumba (8 points at 133% SR) demonstrates the squad depth that separates title contenders from pretenders.

Head-to-Head in PKL

Overall: Matches – 23 | Bengal Warriorz – 8 | Puneri Paltan – 13 | Tied – 2

Puneri Paltan's historical dominance is emphatic. Since PKL 8, they've remained unbeaten against the Warriorz, winning 6 of the last 7 encounters with 1 tie.

Recent Form (Last 5 meetings):

  • PKL 12 M#11: Puneri Paltan won 45–36
  • PKL 11 M#73: Puneri Paltan won 51–34
  • PKL 11 M#23: Match tied 32–32
  • PKL 10 M#121: Puneri Paltan won 29–26
  • PKL 10 M#25: Puneri Paltan won 49–19 (30-point rout)

Their earlier PKL 12 encounter showcased Paltan's superiority despite Devank's brilliance (17 raid points). The collective team effort – Aslam Inamdar and Aditya Shinde both securing Super 10s whilst Gurdeep and Vishal Bhardwaj claimed High 5s – proved decisive in the 9-point victory.

Key Player Battles

Bengal Warriorz' Raiders vs Puneri Paltan' Defenders

  • Devank 4–3 Abinesh Nadarajan
  • Devank 4–1 Gaurav Khatri

Puneri Paltan' Raiders vs Bengal Warriorz' Defenders

  • Pankaj Mohite 6–5 Mayur Kadam
  • Aslam Inamdar 4–1 Mayur Kadam

What to Expect

This encounter promises to be a defining test for both teams – can Devank's individual brilliance overcome collective defensive excellence, or will Paltan's systematic approach neutralise the league's premier raider?

The tactical battle between Bengal's attacking philosophy and Paltan's defensive fortress represents the classic kabaddi conundrum. Small margins will likely prove decisive, with the team executing their game plan more consistently emerging victorious.

Expect a closely contested affair where Devank's quest for his ninth consecutive Super 10 meets its sternest challenge.

Match Details

Match: Bengal Warriorz vs Puneri Paltan – Match 56, PKL Season 12
Date: Tuesday, 30th September 2025
Time: 9:00 PM IST
Venue: SDAT Multi Purpose Indoor Stadium, Chennai
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