PKL Season 12 Match 97 Preview: Telugu Titans vs Gujarat Giants – Qualified Titans Face In-Form Giants

Telugu Titans face Gujarat Giants in Match 97 of PKL 12 at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium, Delhi. The qualified Titans (3rd position, 9 wins from 16 matches) look to consolidate their playoff position and do the double over Gujarat Giants (8th position, 8 wins from 15 matches), who arrive in fine form having won four of their last five matches and mounting a determined playoff push.

Probable Starting 7

Telugu Titans

• Right Corner – Shubham Shinde
• Right In – Bharat
• Right Cover – Avi Duhan
• Centre – Ashish Narwal
• Left Cover – Ajit Pawar
• Left In – Vijay Malik (C)
• Left Corner – Ankit

Gujarat Giants

• Right Corner – Lucky Sharma
• Right In – Himanshu Singh
• Right Cover – Nitin Panwar
• Centre – Rakesh (C)
• Left Cover – Rohit Nandal
• Left In – Ankit Dahiya
• Left Corner – Mohammadreza Shadloui

Headlines

➢ Raiding duo of Titans face an in-form Shadloui and Gujarat Giants

➢ Telugu Titans have qualified for the playoffs and will look to consolidate their position in the points table

➢ Titans defence looking good

➢ Himanshu Singh with a hattrick of Super 10s

➢ Gujarat Giants with back-to-back wins, climbing the points table

➢ Rakesh not in form – needs to be better for the Giants to qualify

➢ Titans looking to do the double over Giants as they won M#47 by 1 point

Top Stories of the Match

Raiding Duo of Titans Face In-Form Shadloui and Gujarat Giants

Vijay Malik and Bharat Hooda continue their rich form and lead the raiding unit of the Titans. Together, they contribute 84% of Telugu Titans' raid points.

Vijay Malik and Bharat Hooda in PKL 12:

Vijay Malik vs Bharat Hooda:

132 raid points vs 150 raid points

8.3 average raid points vs 9.4 average raid points

50% raid SR% vs 60% raid SR%

5 Super 10s vs 7 Super 10s

39% contribution vs 45% contribution

Bharat has been leading well and has had a raid strike rate of above 50% in 4 of the last 5 matches. He's scored 3 Super 10s in the last 5 matches and has been consistent across the entire season.

Bharat in PKL 12 (last 5 matches):

vs Puneri Paltan M#95: 14 raids, 9 raid points at 64% SR

vs U Mumba M#89: 15 raids, 5 raid points at 33% SR

vs Bengal Warriorz M#85: 22 raids, 16 raid points at 73% SR

vs Haryana Steelers M#71: 18 raids, 16 raid points at 89% SR

vs UP Yoddhas M#65: 20 raids, 14 raid points at 70% SR

Vijay Malik is an expert at getting bonus points and has 53 bonus points, which is the third-most bonus points in the league this season.

Most bonus points in PKL 12:

Devank: 77 bonus points

Gagan Gowda: 63 bonus points

Vijay Malik: 53 bonus points

He will be taking on Shadloui, who has been in good form. Shadloui almost secured a High 5 in matches against Patna Pirates and Tamil Thalaivas.

Shadloui vs Tamil Thalaivas in M#87:

Tackles: 6

Tackle points: 4

Tackle SR%: 67%

Shadloui vs Patna Pirates in M#83:

Tackles: 7

Tackle points: 4

Tackle SR%: 57%

Shadloui has been at his best recently, after a slow start to the tournament. He's scored at least 4 tackle points in five of the last 7 games.

Shadloui defence in PKL 12:

First 8 games vs next 7 games:

31 tackles vs 43 tackles

9 tackle points vs 24 tackle points

1.1 average tackle points vs 3.4 average tackle points

29% tackle SR% vs 56% tackle SR%

0 High 5s vs 2 High 5s

He has done well historically against the Telugu Titans and has 2 High 5s in 9 games against them, averaging 3 tackle points per match.

Shadloui vs Telugu Titans in PKL:

Matches: 9

Tackle points: 27

Average tackle points: 3.0

Tackle SR%: 55%

High 5s: 2

Shadloui has had a much better performance in the second half as compared to the first half this season.

Shadloui defence by half in PKL 12:

1st half: 13 tackle points at 39% SR

2nd half: 20 tackle points at 49% SR

The Gujarat Giants' defence is in great form, as they've had 3 consecutive games with at least 15 tackle points and at least 55% tackle strike rate.

Gujarat Giants defence in last three games:

vs Tamil Thalaivas M#87: 27 tackles, 16 tackle points at 59% SR

vs Patna Pirates M#83: 23 tackles, 15 tackle points at 65% SR

vs Dabang Delhi M#75: 27 tackles, 15 tackle points at 56% SR

Titans Have Qualified for Playoffs – Defence is Key to Their Good Form

Telugu Titans have picked up form over the second half of the tournament and average more than 11 tackle points per game now.

Telugu Titans defence in PKL 12:

Matches: 16

Tackle points: 178

Average tackle points: 11.1

Tackle SR%: 44%

Telugu Titans have won 9 games overall. Their defence has been key in supporting Vijay Malik and Bharat to pull off such an amazing streak.

Telugu Titans defence in PKL 12:

Wins vs losses:

9 matches vs 7 matches

225 tackles vs 182 tackles

109 tackle points vs 69 tackle points

12.1 average tackle points vs 9.9 average tackle points

48% tackle SR% vs 38% tackle SR%

This season, Telugu Titans' defence has performed really well, scoring 10+ tackle points in 6 of the previous 8 matches. This has been one of the main reasons for their qualification for the playoffs.

Telugu Titans defence in PKL 12 (last 8 matches):

vs Puneri Paltan M#95: 26 tackles, 14 tackle points at 54% SR – Won

vs U Mumba M#89: 21 tackles, 8 tackle points at 38% SR – Lost

vs Bengal Warriorz M#85: 36 tackles, 13 tackle points at 36% SR – Lost

vs Haryana Steelers M#71: 27 tackles, 14 tackle points at 52% SR – Won

vs UP Yoddhas M#65: 26 tackles, 10 tackle points at 38% SR – Won

vs Patna Pirates M#55: 31 tackles, 14 tackle points at 45% SR – Won

vs Gujarat Giants M#47: 16 tackles, 8 tackle points at 50% SR – Won

vs Tamil Thalaivas M#42: 24 tackles, 13 tackle points at 54% SR – Won

Corners Shubham Shinde and Ankit have been their best defenders so far. All 4 defenders have a tackle strike rate greater than 40% but less than 50%.

Telugu Titans defence in PKL 12:

Shubham Shinde: 40 tackle points (2.5 average, 49% SR)

Ankit: 38 tackle points (2.4 average, 45% SR)

Ajit Pawar: 28 tackle points (1.8 average, 43% SR)

Avi Duhan: 26 tackle points (1.7 average, 46% SR)

Ankit's tackling performance has been very similar to last season, slightly better, but what has changed this season is that he has significantly more assists than last season.

Ankit in PKL (season-wise):

PKL 11 vs PKL 12:

42 tackle points vs 38 tackle points

2.0 average tackle points vs 2.4 average tackle points

41% tackle SR% vs 45% tackle SR%

5 assists vs 35 assists

Ajit Pawar has the most assists for Telugu Titans with 50 assists to his name. Shubham Shinde is good when there are 6-7 defenders and has a tackle strike rate greater than 40% in that DIP situation in PKL 12.

Shubham Shinde defence DIP-wise in PKL 12:

6-7 DIP: 22 tackle points at 46% SR

4-5 DIP: 8 tackle points at 35% SR

2-3 DIP: 10 tackle points at 91% SR

Against Gujarat Giants' improving raiding unit, the Titans' defence must maintain their consistency and protect their playoff seeding.

Himanshu Singh with Hattrick of Super 10s – Giants with Back-to-Back Wins

Himanshu Singh scored a Super 10 for the third consecutive time and was one of the most important reasons for the Giants' win against Tamil Thalaivas.

Himanshu Singh in last three games:

vs Tamil Thalaivas M#87: 20 raids, 13 raid points at 65% SR

vs Patna Pirates M#83: 21 raids, 11 raid points at 52% SR

vs Dabang Delhi M#75: 12 raids, 11 raid points at 92% SR

Gujarat Giants' weak link has been their raiding unit this season. They have the lowest average raid points per game and the lowest raid strike rate in PKL 12.

Lowest average raid points in PKL 12:

Gujarat Giants: 18.3 average at 42% SR (15 matches)

Tamil Thalaivas: 19.0 average at 46% SR (17 matches)

U Mumba: 19.5 average at 45% SR (15 matches)

However, they have come into good form recently, as they've crossed 20 raid points in 3 of the last 5 games courtesy of good performances by Himanshu Singh and Rakesh.

Gujarat Giants raiding in last five games:

vs Tamil Thalaivas M#87: 43 raids, 18 raid points at 42% SR

vs Patna Pirates M#83: 43 raids, 21 raid points at 49% SR

vs Dabang Delhi M#75: 40 raids, 16 raid points at 40% SR

vs UP Yoddhas M#74: 44 raids, 26 raid points at 59% SR

vs Bengal Warriorz M#64: 43 raids, 26 raid points at 60% SR

Rakesh has been the best raider for Gujarat Giants this season so far.

Rakesh in PKL 12:

Matches: 14

Raid points: 107

Average raid points: 7.6

Raid SR%: 51%

Super 10s: 4

Rakesh raids much better in the first half than he does in the second half this season. He has more than 75 raid points in the first half but does not even have half of that in the second.

Rakesh raiding by half in PKL 12:

1st half: 76 raid points at 63% SR

2nd half: 31 raid points at 36% SR

He has not been able to get many raid points in the last couple of matches, but Himanshu has compensated for that. He was taken off in the match against Patna Pirates after just raiding 4 times; he did not raid in M#87 against Tamil Thalaivas.

Rakesh raiding in last four games:

vs Patna Pirates M#83: 4 raids, 4 raid points at 100% SR

vs Dabang Delhi M#75: 12 raids, 3 raid points at 25% SR

vs UP Yoddhas M#74: 25 raids, 20 raid points at 80% SR

vs Bengal Warriorz M#64: 25 raids, 18 raid points at 72% SR

Against Telugu Titans' strong defensive unit, Rakesh needs to rediscover his form alongside Himanshu Singh's recent purple patch to maintain the Giants' winning momentum.

Team Stories

Telugu Titans – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results:

M#95 vs Puneri Paltan – Won 40–31

M#89 vs U Mumba – Lost 26–33

M#85 vs Bengal Warriorz – Lost 45–45 (tie-breaker 5-7)

M#71 vs Haryana Steelers – Won 46–29

M#65 vs UP Yoddhas – Won 40–35

Telugu Titans have qualified for the playoffs with a win against Puneri Paltan and reached the playoffs for the first time since PKL 4. This achievement represents a significant milestone for the franchise's resurgence.

Skipper Vijay Malik has put the responsibility on his shoulders, and he and Bharat have combined superbly throughout the season to lead the raiding unit. Their defensive unit is playing well with contributions from across the board, and Shubham Shinde has been in good form recently.

Having secured playoff qualification, the Titans can approach this match with confidence, seeking to consolidate their position and do the double over Gujarat Giants after their narrow 1-point victory in Match 47.

Gujarat Giants – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results:

M#87 vs Tamil Thalaivas – Won 42–35

M#83 vs Patna Pirates – Won 40–32

M#75 vs Dabang Delhi – Lost 33–39

M#74 vs UP Yoddhas – Won 41–39

M#64 vs Bengal Warriorz – Won 47–40

Gujarat Giants have picked up good form going into the second half of the tournament. They have now won 4 of their last 5 matches and suddenly look like they have a shot at making a run to the playoffs.

However, they remain in 8th place, tied on points, and have to put together more wins to qualify. Every match from here onwards becomes crucial for their playoff ambitions.

Rakesh has been leading their raiding unit throughout the season and looks out of form for the last few matches, with Shadloui coming into form. However, Himanshu Singh has stepped up with 3 consecutive Super 10s, providing the consistency needed during Rakesh's lean patch.

If the Giants can maintain their recent defensive excellence whilst Himanshu Singh continues his form, they possess the potential to pull off another upset against the qualified Titans.

Head-to-Head in PKL

Overall: Matches – 13 | Telugu Titans – 3 | Gujarat Giants – 10 | Tied – 0

Gujarat Giants historically dominated this fixture, but Telugu Titans' resurgence has altered the dynamic. The Titans won the match against Gujarat Giants in Match 47 of PKL 12 and will be looking to do the double. There has always been a result whenever these two teams have met each other, never a tie.

Recent Form (Last 5 meetings):

M#47 PKL 12: Titans won 30–29

M#111 PKL 11: Titans won 36–32

M#71 PKL 11: Giants won 28–31

M#59 PKL 10: Giants won 30–37

M#1 PKL 10: Giants won 32–38

The 1-point victory for Telugu Titans in their reverse fixture demonstrated their capacity to compete closely with the Giants. That narrow margin suggests this encounter could be equally competitive.

Key Player Battles

Telugu Titans' Raiders vs Gujarat Giants' Defenders

Bharat 10–10 Shadloui

Vijay Malik 4–2 Lucky Sharma

Vijay Malik 9–6 Shadloui

Gujarat Giants' Raiders vs Telugu Titans' Defenders

Rakesh 2–0 Ajit Pawar

Rakesh 2–2 Shubham Shinde

Shadloui 2–2 Shubham Shinde

Shadloui 2–1 Ajit Pawar

What to Expect

This encounter presents a compelling narrative – qualified Telugu Titans seeking to consolidate their position against resurgent Gujarat Giants mounting a determined playoff push. The Titans arrive with the security of playoff qualification, whilst the Giants face mounting pressure to string together victories.

The critical matchup centres on the Titans' raiding duo of Vijay Malik and Bharat against Shadloui and the Giants' defence. Bharat and Shadloui's head-to-head record is evenly balanced at 10-10, suggesting this battle could prove decisive. Shadloui's recent form improvement and historically strong record against the Titans (3.0 average tackle points, 55% strike rate, 2 High 5s in 9 matches) means the Titans' raiders cannot afford complacency.

However, Telugu Titans' defensive excellence provides significant advantage. Their 11.1 average tackle points per game and 48% strike rate in victories represent league-leading defensive credentials. Against Gujarat Giants' struggling raiding unit – league-worst with 18.3 average raid points – the Titans' defence should dominate.

Gujarat Giants' over-reliance on Himanshu Singh's recent hot streak presents vulnerability. Whilst his three consecutive Super 10s represent impressive form, Rakesh's form collapse in the latter stages of matches (31 raid points at 36% strike rate in second halves) exposes the team to defensive pressure when required most.

The Titans' qualifier status provides psychological advantage. Their playoffs spot already secured, they can play with freedom and reduced pressure, whilst the Giants' desperation could become their undoing if they become one-dimensional in their approach.

Expect Telugu Titans to consolidate their position and secure victory, doing the double over Gujarat Giants. The Titans' balanced approach – exceptional defence coupled with their formidable raiding duo – should overcome the Giants' individual brilliance. However, Gujarat Giants' recent defensive improvements and Himanshu Singh's purple patch ensure this remains a competitive encounter. The battle between Shadloui and the Titans' raiders will provide compelling theatre, but Telugu Titans' overall team balance should prove decisive in securing another victory that strengthens their playoff credentials.

Match Details

• Match: Telugu Titans vs Gujarat Giants – Match 97, PKL Season 12
• Date: Sunday, 19th October 2025
• Time: 7:00 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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