Bengal Warriors and Puneri Paltan battle to close the gap on zone leaders

The penultimate day of the second Inter-Zone Challenge Week serves up a feisty East vs. West battle as Zone A’s Puneri Paltan take on Zone B’s Bengal Warriors at The Arena by TransStadia in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

Puneri Paltan are currently in the third spot in Zone A but are facing a tough challenge from Dabang Delhi K.C who reside in fourth place. They will want to win here and make their stay in the top half of the zone more comfortable. Bengal Warriors are in fifth place of Zone B and have a chance to jump two places to secure the third spot in the zone if they win here.

Match 68 (Inter Zone Challenge Week): Puneri Paltan vs. Bengal Warriors

Head-to-head: Puneri Paltan 6-4 Bengal Warriors. 1 tie. 

Form Guide:

Stats from the last five matches

Average Points Scored – 25.6

Average Points Conceded – 30.4

Best Raider – Monu (11 raid points)

Best Defender – Sandeep Narwal (13 tackle points)

Stats from the last five match

Average Points Scored –28

Average Points Conceded – 33.8

Best Raider – Maninder Singh (32 Raid Points)

Best Defender – Baldev Singh (10 Tackle Points)

The big battle

Girish Maruti Ernak vs. Maninder Singh

After starting the season in fine form and picking up 29 tackle points in seven games, Puneri Paltan captain Girish Maruti Ernak looked set to have a huge season in defence for his side. But in his last five outings, the Left Corner has managed only four tackle points and his tackle strike rate has dropped from 61.70 in the first seven games to 23.52 in his last five. His form has reflected on his team as well, as Puneri Paltan have won only one of their six fixtures during this period, proving how crucial their captain’s form is to the team’s fortunes.

Maninder is closing in on his second straight 100 raid point season for Bengal Warriors and is currently 19 raid points away from the mark. The raider has been a champion in offence for his side and one of the key factors in his side’s victories so far.

Ernak currently leads the duo’s head-to-head battles by a slim margin of 3-2 and his duel against Maninder will be one of the key battles that have to go in Puneri Paltan’s favour if they are to maintain a hold over their strong position in Zone A.

Key Khiladi

Sandeep Narwal – Puneri Paltan

Right Corner Sandeep Narwal has looked at his very best in his last four outings for Puneri Paltan, picking up a team-leading 13 tackle points at a strike rate of 59.09. With Bengal Warriors boasting of the likes of Jang Kun Lee, Narwal will be expected to have his hands full in defence all night. Narwal’s good form, coupled with his solid record of 55 points in 10 matches against Bengal Warriors, will come in handy in limiting the threat posed by Lee and he could prove to be the catalyst in his team’s quest for a victory.

Baldev Singh – Bengal Warriors

A mid-season entry into the starting 7, Baldev Singh has had a good start to his VIVO Pro Kabaddi career. The Right Corner’s fearless approach and hard-hitting style have been a breath of fresh air for the Bengal Warriors’ defence. Baldev has already managed to get a High 5 despite having played only five games so far. He is definitely one to watch out for.

Factor this

Bengal Warriors hold the record for the most ties in VIVO Pro Kabaddi history with 12 whereas Puneri Paltan rank third with 7.