A blockbuster Saturday night clash is on the cards as a rejuvenated Telugu Titans face the high-flying Puneri Paltan at the SMS Indoor Stadium in Jaipur. The Titans are surging with three straight wins, while Pune are looking to consolidate its spot near the top of the table.

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

Telugu Titans
 Right Corner – Shubham Shinde
 Right In – Bharat
 Right Cover – Avi Duhan
 Centre – Chetan Sahu
 Left Cover – Ajit Pawar
 Left In – Vijay Malik (C)
 Left Corner – Ankit

Headlines

➢ Vijay Malik and Bharat powering Titans’ resurgence
➢ Aditya Shinde spearheading Puneri Paltan’s raiding unit
➢ Gaurav Khatri marshalling the Pune defence
➢ Titans’ defence showing marked improvement
➢ Vishal Bhardwaj faces his former side, Telugu Titans

Top Stories of the Match

Vijay Malik and Bharat – The Unstoppable Titans

  • Telugu Titans have made a stunning comeback, winning three on the trot after losing their first two matches.
  • They beat U Mumba convincingly in their previous game, controlling the tempo from the start.
  • Both Vijay Malik and Bharat have a raid SR% above 50 this season.
  • Vijay has been a bonus point specialist, picking up 13 bonus points so far — 4th most in the league.
  • He is particularly dangerous in second halves, where his raid SR% and point output both spike.
  • Bharat has found rhythm too, registering consecutive Super 10s, including one against U Mumba.
  • Bharat also has a solid track record against Puneri Paltan and will be key again.

Aditya Shinde Leading the Puneri Paltan Charge

  • Puneri Paltan have a strong raiding trio of Aslam Inamdar, Pankaj Mohite, and Aditya Shinde, who have rotated roles effectively.
  • They’ve been far more potent in attack this season than they were in PKL 11.
  • Aditya has been their most aggressive raider, with 2 Super 10s already in PKL 12.
  • He has maintained a Raid SR above 65% in every game except one (vs Patna Pirates).
  • He also ranks second in the league for do-or-die raid points and points from hand touches.
  • While Aditya leads the charge, Aslam has played the anchor role, balancing attack and defence.

Team Stories

Puneri Paltan – PKL 12 So Far

M#2 vs Bengaluru Bulls – 32(6)–32(4) Won via Tie-Breaker
M#8 vs Gujarat Giants – Won 41–19
M#11 vs Bengal Warriorz – Won 45–36
M#14 vs Dabang Delhi – 28(5)–28(5) Lost in Golden Raid (2–0)
M#22 vs Patna Pirates – Lost 37–48
M#26 vs UP Yoddhas – Won 43–32

  • Puneri Paltan sit comfortably in second place with 4 wins from 6 matches.
  • Under captain Aslam Inamdar, they’ve emerged as one of the most balanced teams this season.
  • Their strength has been collective performances — Aditya Shinde leading raids and Gaurav Khatri anchoring the defence.
  • They will look to sustain momentum against a rejuvenated Titans outfit.

Puneri Paltan Defence Led by Gaurav Khatri

  • Pune’s defence has averaged 11.3 tackle points per match, 3rd best in the league.
  • Their defence was exceptional in the first 4 games (10+ tackle points every time), dipped against Patna Pirates, and improved again against UP Yoddhas.
  • Their best showing came against Gujarat Giants with 18 tackle points.
  • Gaurav Khatri has been their standout defender, scoring the most tackle points for them this season.
  • He got his second High 5 against UP Yoddhas and has maintained a brilliant 70% tackle SR.
  • Pune already have 4 different players with a High 5 this season.
  • Vishal Bhardwaj, formerly a Telugu Titans stalwart for 5 seasons (PKL 4–PKL 9), will be eager to impress against his ex-team at left corner.

Telugu Titans – PKL 12 So Far

M#1 vs Tamil Thalaivas – Lost 35–38
M#3 vs UP Yoddhas – Lost 35–40
M#13 vs Jaipur Pink Panthers – Won 37–32
M#19 vs Bengal Warriorz – Won 44–34
M#25 vs U Mumba – Won 45–37

  • Telugu Titans have surged to 4th on the table after a poor start.
  • Captain Vijay Malik has shouldered the load and found great rhythm alongside Bharat.
  • They dominated Bengal Warriorz and followed up by handing U Mumba their second defeat of the season.
  • Titans will hope their raiding pair keeps firing as they target a fourth consecutive win.

Titans Defence on the Rise

  • Titans had the worst defensive numbers last season (under 10 tackle points per match), but have improved massively in PKL 12.
  • They now average 11.2 tackle points per match — 4th best in the league.
  • This defensive consistency has been key to their turnaround.
  • Shubham Shinde, Ankit, and Ajit Pawar have all contributed with timely tackles.
  • Shubham especially has a strong record against Pune, and the team will rely on him to stop their dangerous raiders.

Head-to-Head in PKL

  • Overall: Matches – 22 | Puneri Paltan – 13 | Telugu Titans – 8 | Tied – 1
  • Titans won both their meetings against Pune in PKL 11.
  • Between PKL 5 and PKL 10, Pune dominated this rivalry with 10 wins in 11 matches.

Key Player Battles

Puneri Paltan’s Raiders vs Telugu Titans’ Defenders
 Aslam Inamdar 2 – 2 Shubham Shinde
 Pankaj Mohite 2 – 6 Shubham Shinde
 Pankaj Mohite 2 – 1 Ankit
 Aslam Inamdar 1 – 0 Ajit Pawar

Telugu Titans’ Raiders vs Puneri Paltan’s Defenders
 Bharat 2 – 3 Abinesh Nadarajan
 Bharat 1 – 4 Gaurav Khatri
 Bharat 6 – 5 Vishal Bhardwaj
 Vijay Malik 3 – 0 Vishal Bhardwaj

What to Expect

The Titans are riding a wave of confidence with three straight wins, while Pune are one of the most complete sides in PKL 12.
 Expect a thrilling clash between Titans’ explosive raiding duo (Vijay-Bharat) and Pune’s rock-solid defence led by Gaurav Khatri.
 If Pune can contain the Titans’ raiders early, they could regain top-spot momentum — but if Vijay and Bharat get going, Titans might extend their winning streak.

Match Details

  • Match: Puneri Paltan vs Telugu Titans – Match 32, PKL Season 12
  • Date: Saturday, 13th September 2025
  • Time: 9:00 PM IST
  • Venue: SMS Indoor Stadium, Jaipur
  • 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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