PKL Season 12 Qualifier 1 Preview: Puneri Paltan vs Dabang Delhi K.C. – Table Toppers Face Second-Placed Rivals

Two elite teams with exceptional regular-season credentials clash in Qualifier 1 of PKL 12 as first-placed Puneri Paltan seek direct entry into the final against second-placed Dabang Delhi K.C.. Puneri Paltan's formidable defence, anchored by their exceptional corners, faces Dabang Delhi K.C.'s well-balanced raiding unit. This high-stakes encounter will determine who progresses directly to the final, with the loser entering the eliminator.

Probable Starting 7

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
  

Dabang Delhi K.C.

• Right Corner – Saurabh Nandal
• Right In – Ajinkya Pawar
• Right Cover – Surjeet Singh
• Centre – Ashu Malik (C)
• Left Cover – Sandeep
• Left In – Neeraj Narwal
• Left Corner – Fazel Atrachali

Headlines

➢ The two best teams in the league take on each other

➢ Both are coached by former PKL players

➢ The two sides have faced each other twice this season – both matches went to a tiebreaker

➢ Dabang Delhi K.C. hope Ashu Malik returns from injury

➢ Corners Fazel and Saurabh lead Delhi's defence

➢ Puneri Paltan topped the table and possesses the best defence

➢ Gaurav Khatri has led the defence with 50 tackle points

➢ Aditya Shinde leads Pune's raiding unit

Top Stories of the Match

Dabang Delhi K.C. hopes to have Ashu Malik back to take on Paltan Defence

Dabang Delhi K.C. finished second in the league standings, primarily due to captain Ashu Malik's exceptional performances.

Ashu Malik in PKL 12

Matches	Raid Points	Avg Raid Points	Raid SR%	Super 10s
12	146	12.2	62%	8

He ranks third in average raid points across the entire league, demonstrating remarkable consistency. Ashu excels in Do-or-Die situations, maintaining a perfect 100 per cent success rate whilst accumulating 21 points – the second-best in these critical scenarios.

Best Average Raid Points in PKL 12

Player	Avg Raid Points	Raid SR%
Devank	16.9	74%
Ayan	13.8	71%
Ashu Malik	12.2	62%

However, he has missed Dabang Delhi K.C.'s last six matches due to injury. His return status remains unconfirmed. He previously recorded a Super 10 against Puneri Paltan at a 39 per cent success rate, though he maintains a 50 per cent overall record against them across multiple seasons.

Puneri Paltan possess one of the league's best defences, maintaining the highest average tackle points (12.1) and best tackle success rate (47%). Their strength stems from exceptional corner defenders.

Best Average Tackle Points in PKL 12

Team	Avg Tackle Points	Tackle SR%
Puneri Paltan	12.1	47%
Haryana Steelers	11.8	45%
U Mumba	11.8	45%

Team Stories

Puneri Paltan – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results

• M#99 vs Patna Pirates – Lost 27–38 (11-point defeat)
• M#95 vs Telugu Titans – Lost 31–40 (9-point defeat)
• M#86 vs Jaipur Pink Panthers – Won 57–33 (24-point victory)
• M#79 vs Dabang Delhi K.C. – Won 38(6)–38(5) (tiebreaker victory)
• M#78 vs Tamil Thalaivas – Won 36–23 (13-point victory)

Puneri Paltan finished first in the league standings, enjoying exceptional success throughout the regular season. They completed a seven-match winning streak before deliberately resting key players in their final matches. This represents only their second league-topping finish, with their previous achievement in PKL 10 culminating in tournament victory.

Their dominance stems from defensive excellence and balanced raiding contributions. Aditya Shinde leads their raiding unit, whilst Gaurav Khatri anchors an exceptional defensive structure.

Aditya Shinde Leads Pune Raiding, Pankaj Mohite Steps Up

Aditya Shinde has been outstanding for Pune throughout the regular season, accumulating 118 raid points at a 64 per cent success rate with five Super 10s.

Puneri Paltan Raiders in PKL 12

Player	Raid Points	Avg Raid Points	Raid SR%
Aditya Shinde	118	7.9	64%
Pankaj Mohite	99	6.2	49%

Aditya demonstrates consistency across different time intervals, maintaining 65+ per cent success in three of four ten-minute segments. Remarkably, Pune have never lost a match when Aditya has secured a Super 10.

Pankaj Mohite has provided excellent support, particularly in recent matches with improved form. He has been exceptional in the playoffs as well, averaging 7.8 raid points.

Dabang Delhi K.C. – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results

• M#105 vs Patna Pirates – Lost 26–61 (35-point defeat)
• M#94 vs Bengaluru Bulls – Lost 23–33 (10-point defeat)
• M#92 vs Tamil Thalaivas – Won 37–31 (6-point victory)
• M#79 vs Puneri Paltan – Lost 38(5)–38(6) (tiebreaker defeat)
• M#75 vs Gujarat Giants – Won 39–33 (6-point victory)

Dabang Delhi K.C. maintained impressive form throughout the regular season before recent matches saw them rest key players following qualification. Their defensive performance dropped significantly in recent games once their playoff status was secured.

Delhi Keep Defensive Hopes on Veteran Corners

Dabang Delhi K.C.'s defence averaged 10.7 tackle points at 45 per cent success rate. Their defensive strength concentrates within the veteran corner partnership.

Dabang Delhi K.C. Corners in PKL 12

Player	Tackle Points	Avg Tackle Points	Tackle SR%	High 5s
Fazel Atrachali	49	2.9	55%	4
Saurabh Nandal	47	2.8	59%	3

Fazel Atrachali is approaching a historic milestone – six tackle points would establish him as the first player to reach 600 total Pro Kabaddi tackle points. Saurabh Nandal possesses outstanding playoff credentials, maintaining a 58 per cent success rate with 3.5 average tackle points.

Both corners excel in four-to-five-defender scenarios, ranking among the league's elite in these situations.

Head-to-Head in PKL

Overall Record: Matches – 26 | Puneri Paltan – 13 | Dabang Delhi K.C. – 10 | Tied – 3

Recent Meeting

Match	Season	Dabang Delhi K.C.	Puneri Paltan	Result
M#79	PKL 12	38(5)	38(6)	Puneri Won Tiebreaker

The two sides have met twice this season, with both matches reaching tiebreaker situations. They have never faced each other in the playoffs previously in Pro Kabaddi history.

Key Player Battles – PKL 12

Dabang Delhi K.C. Raiders vs Puneri Paltan Defenders

• Ashu Malik 0–3 Gaurav Khatri
• Ashu Malik 1–2 Gurdeep
• Ashu Malik 3–1 Vishal Bhardwaj
• Ajinkya Pawar 2–0 Vishal Bhardwaj

Puneri Paltan Raiders vs Dabang Delhi K.C. Defenders

• Aditya Shinde 3–0 Fazel Atrachali
• Aditya Shinde 1–2 Saurabh Nandal
• Pankaj Mohite 3–3 Saurabh Nandal

What to Expect

This qualifier encounter presents a compelling semifinal between the league's two elite outfits. Puneri Paltan's formidable defensive structure, particularly their exceptional corners, directly opposes Dabang Delhi K.C.'s balanced raiding strength.

Ashu Malik's availability proves absolutely critical to Delhi's chances. His absence significantly weakens their attacking potency, potentially tilting the balance towards Pune's defensive excellence. Conversely, his return with sufficient match fitness could provide Delhi with competitive parity.

Pune's recent tendency to rest players following qualification versus Delhi's consistency creates tactical uncertainty. Gaurav Khatri and Vishal Bhardwaj's defensive prowess will likely overwhelm Delhi's raiding resources unless Ashu provides exceptional individual performances.

Expect a fiercely contested playoff encounter where Puneri Paltan's elite defensive structure potentially overwhelms Delhi's raiding capabilities, particularly if Ashu Malik remains unavailable or undercooked following injury. Pune's table-topping pedigree and playoff momentum position them favourably for direct final qualification.

Match Details

• Match: Puneri Paltan vs Dabang Delhi K.C. – Qualifier 1, PKL Season 12
• Date: Monday, 27th October 2025
• Time: 9 PM IST
• Venue: Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium, Delhi
• 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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