On Christmas Eve, vivo Pro Kabaddi season 8 will bring the festivities with three tantalizing matches. 

Fazel Atrachali and U Mumba will look to make it two wins in two in vivo PKL season 8 when they take on Dabang Delhi. Tamil Thalaivas, who played out a thrilling draw against the Telugu Titans, will be in Southern Derby action again in their second game as they take on Pawan Sehrawat and the Bengaluru Bulls. Maninder Singh and the Bengal Warriors will take on Gujarat Giants in the main event. 

Check out our preview for all three matches:

Match 7: U Mumba vs Dabang Delhi K.C.

U Mumba showcased that they mean business this season in their opening game, beating the Bengaluru Bulls 46-30. The most gratifying stat for coach Rajaguru Subramanian would be the raiding unit giving up just three tackle points while scoring 30 raid points. U Mumba’s lack of a superstar raider was a concern for many ahead of the season, but Abhishek Singh put them to bed with a 19-point performance against the Bulls.  

Dabang Delhi K.C. also commenced their campaign with a win a 41-30 win over the Puneri Paltan. Naveen Kumar, the reigning vivo PKL MVP, continued where he left off last season, scoring 16 points for his side. Delhi’s experienced defence scored nine tackle points against the Paltan and if that unit can be efficient this season, the team can emulate what they achieved last season. 

U Mumba vs Dabang Delhi K.C. head-to-head

U Mumba have been thoroughly dominant against Dabang Delhi K.C. over the years. Of their 16 matches, U Mumba have won 12, lost three and tied once. 

Match 8: Tamil Thalaivas vs Bengaluru Bulls

Tamil Thalaivas came within a whisker of starting their vivo PKL campaign with a victory, but an unsuccessful raid with no time left on the clock meant they had to share the spoils with the Telugu Titans. However, there were plenty of positives for the Thalaivas, particularly Manjeet’s performance. The raider showcased just why the Thalaivas put their faith in him during the auction, with a 12-point performance against Titans. The team would expect more of the same on Friday.

The Bengaluru Bulls had a rough outing in their season-opener, losing by 16 points. Losing by double-digits despite Super 10s from Pawan Sehrawat and Chandran Ranjit will concern coach Randhir Singh. The defence managed just three tackle points against U Mumba, and the team would be hoping that was a one-off and will look to correct that against the Thalaivas on Friday.

Tamil Thalaivas vs Bengaluru Bulls head-to-head

Since entering vivo PKL in Season 5, Tamil Thalaivas have played eight games against the Bengaluru Bulls and have won just once, losing the other seven.

Match 9: Bengal Warriors vs Gujarat Giants

Reigning champions Bengal Warriors commenced their title defence with a 38-33 victory over Pardeep Narwal and the U.P. Yoddha. Skipper Maninder Singh had an incredible start and finished the game with seven raid points. Mohammad Nabibakhsh carried from where he left off in Season 7, scoring eight raid points and three tackle points in a spectacular all-round display. More of the same will be the message from coach BC Ramesh ahead of their game against the Giants. 

The Giants also commenced their campaign with a gritty win over the Jaipur Pink Panthers. Their defence was spectacular, particularly Left Corner Girish Ernak, who finished the night with seven tackle points. Their raiding unit was efficient, with raider Rakesh and all-rounder Rakesh Narwal combining for 13 raid points. Coach Maninder Singh will be banking on his stellar defence to keep Maninder Singh and co. at bay.

Bengal Warriors vs Gujarat Giants head-to-head

Through five matches, the Gujarat Giants hold a slender 2-1 over the Bengal Warriors in their head-to-head clashes. Two other games have finished in a tie.

PKL Schedule for Friday, December 24th 

Match 7: U Mumba vs Dabang Delhi K.C., 7:30 PM IST

Match 8: Tamil Thalaivas vs Bengaluru Bulls, 8:30 PM IST

Match 9: Bengal Warriors vs Gujarat Giants, 9:30 PM IST

Where to watch vivo Pro Kabaddi live?

Catch all the LIVE action from vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 8 on the Star Sports Network and LIVE streaming on Disney+Hotstar.

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