Intra-zonal rivalries at the fore on Matchday 9

After two action-packed days in the Nagpur leg, Sunday promises to be even better as some of the strongest raiding teams in Zone B lock horns in a bid for supremacy. Here we take a look at the ties which will be played at the Mankapur Indoor Stadium on Matchday 9.

Match 16 (Zone B): Bengal Warriors vs U.P. Yoddha

U.P. Yoddha scored an upset win on Saturday as they beat home team Bengaluru Bulls 32-27 with ease. The newcomers will now go into Sunday’s tie full of confidence having scored two victories from as many games. Bengal Warriors will provide them with a tough challenge though. The Surjeet Singh-led side tamed a lacklustre Telugu Titans 30-24 in their opening game, thanks to some quick-fire raids by Maninder Singh and Jang Kun Lee, and will look to do the same against the team from Uttar Pradesh.

It might well be another battle of raiders as both teams have players who can score heavily and take the game away from the opposition. U.P. Yoddha have Nitin Tomar and Rishank Devadiga in their ranks, who have been simply unstoppable. However, it’s not clear whether Devadiga will play on Sunday in view of his injury against the Bengaluru Bulls. In defence, the Yoddha have Jeeva Kumar and Rajesh Narwal, who have also proven to be formidable.

Meanwhile, Maninder could well be the key man for Bengal Warriors. If U.P. Yoddha can manage to keep him quiet, it could bring Lee under pressure and force him to take undue risks. Their defence has not been put to the test yet, and it remains to be seen if they can hold their own against a strong raiding side.

Match 17 (Zone B): Bengaluru Bulls vs Patna Pirates

Head-to-Head: Bengaluru Bulls 2-7 Patna Pirates

Bengaluru Bulls failed to deliver on Saturday in spite of a third consecutive Super 10 by captain Rohit Kumar, and now in less than 24 hours they find themselves against double defending champions Patna Pirates, who have won their previous two matches comfortably against Telugu Titans. Ajay Kumar’s form and Ravinder Pahal’s illness appear to be the biggest concerns as of now for the Bulls.

Patna Pirates, on the other hand, have looked a complete side in their previous two games. Vishal Mane and Sachin Shingade in defence have been miserly in giving away points and the Pardeep Narwal-Monu Goyat combination has sent teams scampering for answers. One could safely say that the Bulls are definitely under pressure against such formidable opponents!

Catch the action live from 8 pm IST onwards on the Star Sports network and hotstar.