Bengal Warriors aim for key wins in home leg

Bengal Warriors take on Tamil Thalaivas in the first game of their home leg at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Indoor Stadium in Kolkata on Friday. Bengal Warriors will look to leapfrog Telugu Titans into the final qualifying spot from Zone B with a victory. With six games in hand, Bengal Warriors are the frontrunners to qualify for the Playoffs alongside Bengaluru Bulls.

The two sides have met twice previously this season with Bengal Warriors winning both encounters. The last time the two sides played, Bengal Warriors came up with an all-round performance to win by seven points. Captain Surjeet Singh returned with a High 5 while substitute Bhupinder Singh turned the game around for Bengal Warriors. Amit Hooda returned with a High 5 for Tamil Thalaivas.

Match 122 (Zone B): Bengal Warriors vs Tamil Thalaivas

Head-to-head: Bengal Warriors 4-1 Tamil Thalaivas

Form Guide

Stats from the last five matches

Average Points Scored – 31.6

Average Points Conceded – 31.0

Best Raider – Maninder Singh

Best Defender – PO Surjeet Singh

Stats from the last five matches

Average Points Scored – 27.6

Average Points Conceded – 32.4

Best Raider – Ajay Thakur

Best Defender – Amit Hooda

The big battle

Maninder Singh vs Manjeet Chhillar

Maninder Singh has led Bengal Warriors’ offence brilliantly, returning with 141 raid points in 15 matches so far. Singh averages 9.4 raid points per game, the fourth best in the league. Singh however, averages more than a Super 10 in his last five games, having managed to score 54 points at an average of 10.8 in that period, the most for his side.

Manjeet Chhillar has been the leader of Tamil Thalaivas’ defence, having managed 59 tackle points in 19 games, the fifth best in the league. Chhillar has managed two High 5s over the course of the campaign, with both games resulting in wins for Tamil Thalaivas. Chhillar has also managed 24 tackle points at an average of 4.80 in games Tamil Thalaivas have won.

Key Khiladi

PO Surjeet Singh – Bengal Warriors

PO Surjeet Singh has been Bengal Warriors’ leading defender with 38 tackle points in 16 games this season with 16 tackle points coming in the last five games. Singh scores these points at 2.38 tackle points a match. Singh however, managed six tackle points the last time these two sides met and will be looking to create an impact again against a Tamil Thalaivas offence led by Ajay Thakur.

Ajay Thakur – Tamil Thalaivas

Ajay Thakur has scored 181 raid points in 20 games to be Tamil Thalaivas’ leading raider so far and the league’s fifth-best raider. Thakur scores his points at an average of 9.05, the sixth best in the league. Thakur is the only Tamil Thalaivas player to score a Super 10 this season, and two of his six Super 10s have resulted in victory for the side.